


Thrive

by xXVahaHarenXx



Series: Thrive Series [1]
Category: Stargate Universe
Genre: Casual Sex, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Pre Season/Series 01, Science Fiction, Season/Series 01, Sexual Content, Survival, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-01-01
Updated: 2013-05-13
Packaged: 2017-11-15 05:11:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 37,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/523511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xXVahaHarenXx/pseuds/xXVahaHarenXx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They both worked together on Icarus from the very start, now they're both on Destiny intent on keeping her alive whether the rest of her crew appreciate it or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. No Rest for the Wicked

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: SGU and it's Characters belong to their respective owners which, sadly, is not me. I do, however, own Alex and her story line and squad, etc, etc. This has come from my mind because my mind knows no boundaries.

**No Rest for the Wicked**

=Rush's P.O.V=

"Afternoon Doctor Rush"

I jumped slightly and turned at the sound of my name before glanced up to the Brit standing next to me, how on earth she managed to keep sneaking up on me was beyond me. "Afternoon Colonel"

A smile flickered to her lips before she shook her head. "How many more times must I tell you?" She asked before grinned softly. "It's Alex"

I bit back the smile creeping to my lips and focused on the board in front of me. "How are you?"

"Alright," She shrugged lightly. "Skiving off for a fag in the hopes Young won't call me back to fix that goddamn jet again" She stated pulling out a carton of cigarettes and flicked open the top. "You?"

"How do I look?"

"Tired and pissed off," She stated without skipping a beat, her eyes flicked up, a cheeky grin spreading to her lips. "But what's new there love?"

I glanced towards her giving her a glare and rubbed at the ache in my neck. "A break sounds like a good idea right now"

She grinned. "Another converted, brilliant, my plan is working"

I shook my head lightly turning to follow after the skinny Brit, I stopped briefly to grab my own cigarettes and looked up to find her waiting in the doorway for me, cigarette resting behind her ear, dirty black jumpsuit tied around her waist, the grey tank top she wore covered in grease, sweat and hydraulic fluid, she was busy straightening out the messy pony tail she'd thrown her black hair up into.

"So figured out anything else about the gate yet?"

I shook my head lightly as we continued down the hall towards the small balcony set up for smokers. "Nay, there's still something wrong with the proof"

Alex nodded nudging open the door and weaved around the dining table in the officers eating mess before heading towards the door on the other side, she always claimed it saved time than walking around the entire room; Young however didn't approve but let her get away with it anyway, one of the many perks of her rank.

"So what is it? Power, gate or proof?" She asked tugging the cigarette from behind her ear and slipped it between her lips before brushing back the black fringe getting into her eyes.

"I'm still not sure, we matched the power requirements but we still can't make a connection, it's like there's something wrong with the address but how can there? We've known the first eight symbols for donkey's years"

Alex shrugged lightly nudging open another door and held it open with her heel as she lit her cigarette and inhaled deeply, a smile reaching her lips as she let the door go and took a seat on one of the wrought iron chairs.

I watched her icy blue irises sweep over the horizon before us, the sky painted a brilliant shade of gold from the sun and Naquadria under the planet's surface.

"Beautiful isn't it?" She murmured letting out a thin stream of smoke.

"Aye"

She glanced towards me as she tipped her ash into the tray in the centre of the table. "I'm supposed to be retiring soon"

"You? Retire? Do you even know the meaning of the word?"

Alex grinned lightly throwing up her fingers at me. "Bite me love," She stated before shrugging lightly. "Supposed to, are the operative words there, I'm not going to though"

"Why?"

"I enjoy this shit too much, plus without Sean at home there's not much point in returning, I would prefer to renew my contract and stay here," She looked over at me. "Help you and this team find out how to unlock that ninth chevron"

I nodded lightly filling my lungs with asinine smoke and slowly released it. "What about your family?"

"What family?" She asked cracking a broken smile. "Got no kids, father disowned me when he found out I was marrying an Irishman, grandfather died last year, mother died when I was a kid and her parents are living somewhere in Wales," She shrugged lightly. "It's always been me and Sean, now it's just me," She pushed back a few longer strands of her fringe tucking them behind her ear. "Beside's what's so great about earth anyway when you've got nothing there? I would prefer to be doing this, I thrive off doing this"

I watched her for a moment, in all the talks we'd had she'd never mentioned her family, she very rarely ever mentioned her husband anymore, but the pain in her eyes always confirmed she'd never quite gotten over his death.

I traced a light pattern on the wrought iron table top and watched the sky line remembering how we'd been sat here when she'd first come back after hearing of the news.

" _Colonel O'Rouke?" I was surprised to see the Brit out here so late, not since she would usually be asleep by now._

" _Doctor Rush" Her voice cracked as she acknowledge me and tipped her head back, icy eyes foggy from the straight whiskey she'd been drinking, she cleared her throat slightly and tried to focus her eyes. "It's actually Colonel Hunter now" Her voice cracked again as she tipped her head forward to watch the sun slowly creeping up from the horizon._

" _Hunter? You got married?" I was treading carefully, I didn't want to upset her anymore than she already was, she'd been absent from Icarus base a week short of a month after being called away on O'Neill's order._

" _Widowed actually" Her voice was so quiet I nearly missed what she said._

" _I'm..."_

" _If the next word out of your mouth is_ _ **sorry**_ _I will give you a goddamn reason to be," She spat, her mood turning sour instantly from one of sadness to one of hate. "I'm sorry Rush," Her shoulders slumped as she spoke. "It's just everyone keeps saying it and no one really means it, it's just something they say when they have nothing else to say" She sighed heavily taking a long drink from the almost empty bottle of Whiskey._

" _Would it help to know I_ _ **do**_ _mean it?" I asked as I took a seat on the opposite side of the table and poured myself a glass of whiskey._

" _You do?" She looked towards me, eyes foggy and glassy from the alcohol._

_I nodded downing part of the glass. "My wife, Gloria, she died nearly two years ago"_

_I watched the Brit smile bitterly before grabbing the bottle and taking another long drink. "I don't think I'm drunk enough do you?" She asked sinking into the chair leaving her fingers lingering around the neck of the bottle._

" _Certainly not"_

_She gave a small genuine smile, a laugh slipping through her lips. "See,_ _**this** _ _is why I like you, you don't have a stick shoved up your arse," She grinned brokenly. "Most days anyway," She chuckled softly in my direction. "Unlike Young, He doesn't know how to have fun, you_ _**do** _ _" She stated before taking another long drink from the bottle and placed it back on the table._

_I watched her silently contemplating what she'd said, she was speaking freely, thoughts she probably would have usually kept to herself. I watched her irises watching the sun rising, she may have been here physically but mentally she wasn't, her mind was elsewhere._

" _You know Rush, I had the overwhelming urge to deck you when I first met you," Her eyes flicked back to mine as she wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. "I mean, you were being a goddamn prick when we met"_

_I had to agree, I had been, no sleep, no coffee and no cigarettes had made me into a right prick and how I'd greeted her hadn't been the nicest. "Aye, I was wasn't I?" I chuckled lightly draining my glass before checking my watch._

" _I supposed I'd better go and get some sleep," The Colonel said rubbing her raw eyes. "At least an hour should do before something breaks down and needs my attention," She stood yawning and turned towards me leaning over to place a gentle kiss against my cheek. "Thank you Doctor Rush" She said grabbing her bottle of whiskey and headed towards the door._

" _It's Nick," I called after her causing her to stall in the doorway._

" _Then call me Alex,_ _ **Nick**_ _" A small smile slipped to her lips before fading as she turned away._

_I rested my hand on my cheek and looked back after her before getting up and rushing after her._

"Colonel Hunter come in"

I glanced to Alex as she rolled her eyes and flicked the end of her cigarette into the ash tray.

"This is her" She answered, a tired sigh emitting from her chest as she clicked the radio off.

"It's Young; I need you to take a look at something for me"

She groaned softly placing her head against the table top. "Goddamn it, really? I just fucking took a break," She murmured before clicking the radio on a sighing heavily. "Where?"

"Hanger six"

She groaned softly banging her forehead against the table lightly. "It's that fucking jet again, I'll bet you," She clicked her radio on as she stood and crushed the end of her cigarette into the tray. "On my way, Hunter out"

"No rest for the wicked"

She glared lightly and shook her head. "What about you then?" A grin flashed over her lips before she leant over the edge of the balcony looking towards the hangers underneath the complex. "Someone's been playing with my toys again," She stated. "Fucking Telford, I told him not to take that goddamn jet out" She spat hotly before clipping the radio onto her tank top strap and headed towards the door. "Talk to you later _Nick_ " She threw me a wink before leaving and hurried out down the hall breaking into a light jog.


	2. Reliving Pain

**Reliving Pain**

=Rush's P.O.V=

I leant against the edge of the balcony and watched Alex and Telford, they appeared to be getting into some sort of tiff from this angle, I watched the Brit throw her hands up in annoyance before turning and storming away from Telford back into the hangers underneath the base complex.

I shook my head lightly. _He must have truly fucked up the jet if she's that pissed off about it._ I followed the Brit with my eyes as she came back out with another person, one of her own team of four, both had a set of tools in their hands as they started to work on the jet left in the middle of the runway, smoke streaming from one of the engines and from the gun mounted to the wing.

I shook my head again watching Alex as she started work on the engine. I ran my eyes over her, she was only two inches taller than me at 5ft10in with jet black hair and blue irises that looked like they'd been carved from ice, she wore a scar to her chin and another three circular ones to the skin over her heart, I still had yet to get the full story about what had happened but I knew as much that it had ended her career as a fighter pilot.

I watched her work, hands moving quickly as she spun the spanner around releasing a plate from the side of the plane. The Brit wasn't the usual type of woman I liked, she was dangerous, a dare devil, adventurous, slightly eccentric, smart, brave, athletic and sometimes very quick to anger, she was tattooed with several different tattoos and wore all her scars, tattoos and injuries with pride, she didn't usually dwell on the little things except when they mattered, the one thing I didn't admire about her was how willing she was to give up her life, she had no problems accepting dangerous tasks, she had no problems stepping between a bullet and someone else, perhaps it was the military side of her that wouldn't allow an innocent to be harmed or perhaps it was just her, I could never really tell, the lines with her would blur from time to time to the point it was difficult to tell just who she was.

I lit another cigarette and leant against the balcony again, the Brit was stood underneath the wing of the jet looking up and pointing towards something now, her lips moving as she explained something to the younger man beside her. _Maybe tonight she'll be free for a change._ I ran my eyes over the jet before shaking my head and laughing softly. _Probably not, she'll be working on that thing all damn night._ I ran a hand over the aching muscles in my neck and flicked the ash off the end of my cigarette. _God damn it Nick, you're like a fucking school boy with a crush, grow up already._ I growled softly crushing the end of my cigarette into the ashtray. _I need to get back to work._ I turned away from watching Alex work and headed back towards the gate room where my whiteboard was set up.

* * *

=Alex's P.O.V=

I sighed angrily banging my head lightly against the side of the jet. "Fucking Telford, I told him not to fly the goddamn jet, so what does he do?" I snapped angrily. "He goes and flies the goddamn thing, fucking prick," I turned towards Greg as he started laughing and narrowed my eyes. "What?" I snapped.

"You," He stated motioning to me. "You _really_ don't like Telford do you?"

"How _ever_ could you tell?" I asked, the sarcasm dripping from my words.

"Oh, I don't know, perhaps the fact you got into a verbal spat with him before when he brought the jet back, or perhaps the fact you keep cursing him every ten seconds"

"All I'm saying is that he _knew_ the jet was still under repair and took it up anyway," I put my hands up in defense before looking to Young as he started towards us. "Now _you're_ either here because of this," I nodded to the jet. "Or because I called Telford a fucking prick that never listens and telling him he should go jump in a goddamn Naquadria pit" I added very quickly biting back a triumphant grin knowing I'd gotten under Telford's skin so much that he had to go to Young about me.

Young nodded lightly. "Do I even want to ask what set you off?"

I turned and motioned to the jet behind me. "This, this set me off," I stated. "He took out the goddamn jet _I_ spent all bloody day yesterday fixing and _he_ fucked it up, I told him _not_ to take it out, that I was still working on it but does he listen? No, of course not," I huffed slightly folding my arms over my chest effectively smearing grease over my arms, I growled softly wiping my hands down my jumpsuit and sighed heavily before looking to Young sheepishly. "Look I'm sorry alright, I really am but he's a fucking prick, I told him that this _specific_ jet wasn't to leave the ground until I'd finished with it which I hadn't, he seems to forget the painstaking work I have to put into each fucking jet to get it off the ground and into the air, the painstaking work I have to put into them to maintain them when he insists on going for a flyover as fucking training practice!"

Young waited a second before answering. "Are you done?"

I swung back round to Young giving him a dead pan look. "Done? Am I done? Of course I'm not bloody done, I'm not done with the goddamn jet, which I won't be for fucking days now by the way, and I sure as shit ain't done with my rant," I exhaled sharply and nodded. "I am done _now_ however," I stated turning away and marching back to the jet and to Greg who was sitting there laughing his ass off. "Back to work" I stated clipping him roughly round the back of the head before picking up a screwdriver and heading to the back of the jet to fix the engine that had blown.

"So what's happened to the engine?"

"I won't know until I get a better look at it, it sure as hell isn't getting done this afternoon, it's getting too late," I nodded to the skyline. "Go and get some dinner, I'll haul this bastard back into the hanger and try fix it somewhat before I go get mine"

"Do you need me to come back?"

I shook my head. "No, go do whatever you need to, I'll be fine"

Greg gave a nod and wiped his hands down his overalls before heading towards base again. I watched him for a second before shaking my head lightly and laughing softly before settling back into work.

* * *

_I stood next to Rush who was tapping his whiteboard marker against his chin as his eyes slowly crawled over the ancient proof on the board in front of him. He couldn't make any sense of it and I sure as hell couldn't. "You know, I think it would be quite fun to learn some of this sometime"_

_He turned to look at me then back at the board. "You would?"_

" _Have I never mentioned I absolutely **thrive** off learning new things? Languages, how something works, you know, the usual shit," I grinned softly. "I swear if you'd seen me as a kid you would have thought I was a kid that was tweaking, I used to pull apart phones, TV's, radios hell I pulled apart my father's car engine at one stage just to see how it ran," I bit back an even larger grin. "I, of course, put it all back together before he even knew about it"_

_He looked at me wide eyed for a minute before slowly turning back to the board in front of him. "You just gave me an idea Colonel"_

" _I did?"_

_He nodded wiping the board clean and started from scratch writing out part of the equation._

" _Colonel O'Rourke come in"_

" _This is she"_

" _You're needed back on earth, gather some gear and report to the teleport area so the Hammond can pick you up"_

" _What? Why?"_

" _Not sure but General O'Neill said he wants to speak to you personally"_

_I clenched the radio groaning softly as I lowered my head resting the radio against my forehead. "This can't be good; hopefully I'm not getting my arse handed to me over last week's incident with Telford"_

" _What happened last week?"_

" _Do you not remember us getting into a fight on the tarmac?"_

_Rush thought for a second before laughing softly. "Aye, I do now, if I remember correctly you won several personnel some money"_

_I chuckled lightly at the fact they'd been betting on Telford and I before looking to the radio before sighing softly. "Suppose I need to go and see what my punishment is," I murmured before clicking the radio on. "Copy that, I'll be there soon" I looked to Rush before giving him a soft grin. "Talk to you later Doctor Rush, that is, of course, assuming I come back"_

" _Aye" He murmured tapping his marker against his chin again, leaving me to gather my things and head to the teleporter.  
_

_I took a seat across from O'Neill and cleared my throat. "If this is about last week I can explain"_

" _Last week?" He furrowed his brow. "Oh you mean that thing with Telford," He waved his hand. "I think you can be forgiven for that"_

_I grinned lightly and pushed back my fringe before nodding. "Thank you sir"_

_He nodded before handing me a set of folded papers. "This is for you," He looked away briefly before looking back. "You might want to fill it out after I tell you what's happened"_

_I furrowed my brow briefly and glanced up from the folded papers. "What do you mean?"_

" _Your husband Sean, he was in a car accident"_

_I felt my heart stop; I knew exactly what the next words would be out of his mouth. "Is he..."_

_He nodded lightly. "I'm sorry Alex"_

_I nodded lightly forcing myself to swallow the lump in my throat before clenching the papers in my hands. "Thank you for telling me" I murmured before standing and looking up._

_He nodded again as he stood. "Take as much time as you need"_

_I nodded and turned away exhaling slowly, my world was falling apart even more so than usual._

I jolted up and groaned softly glancing around the dark empty hanger, it was silent, the only person down here was me. I sat up and looked around from my spot in the cockpit of the jet and sighed deeply rubbing at my eyes, the tears were threatening to fall again, just as they had all those months ago when I'd first found out about Sean death.

I rubbed at my aching neck and looked to the dashboard of the jet before resting back in the seat, I exhaled slowly and brushed away the tears from my cheeks before setting back into work on the electrical systems that had shorted only a few hours before.


	3. Out of Sorts

**Out of Sorts**

=Rush's P.O.V=

I took a seat outside, cigarettes in hand and coffee on the table next to me. The sun had risen only a half hour before and I had barely slept at all. I yawned scrubbing my hands over my face and lit a cigarette before glancing up to Alex as she walked out, eyes tired, body sluggish. "Morning"

"Mornin'" She murmured hoarsely taking a seat on the chair opposite me before pulling out her own cigarette's and lighting one.

"You look tired"

She looked up and shrugged, hand shielding her cigarette from the morning's wind that usually blew across from the Naquadria plains. "Spent most of the night trying to re," Her voice cracked causing her to clear her throat. "Repair the jet Telford took out yesterday" She took a deep drag on her cigarette closing her eyes briefly and letting the smoke out with a heavy sigh.

I gave a nod watching her, her eyes were lightly bloodshot around the edges, either a sign she had indeed spent a good deal of time on the jet over the night or a sign she'd been in tears over the night. "Are you sure that's all? You seem," I paused looking for the right words. "Out of sorts"

Alex looked up and shook her head. "I'm fine Nick" She ran a hand up through her hair and closed her eyes chewing on the end of her cigarette letting her other hand trace patterns on the table top.

I took her in for a moment. _She's not fine, why the hell do women always have to say that when they're not fine?_ I sighed inwardly. _Something's upset her; I just have to tread carefully to figure out_ _ **what**_ _it is._ I reached out placing a hand over hers only to have it shrugged off. "See you're not fine"

"I'm just tired Nick," She looked up. "Honestly, it's just lack of sleep" She closed her eyes again continuing to chew on the end of her cigarette.

I shook my head lightly taking a drink from my coffee and placed it lightly back on the table, my eyes never straying from her face, she did indeed look tired, she usually did some days but this was a different type of tired, it was a mental tiredness. "I just want to make sure your ok Alex"

"I'm fine"

"Your obviously not, I can _see_ it Alexandra"

She opened her eyes to look at me before standing and crushing the end of her cigarette into the ashtray. "I have to get back to work" She stated tiredly turning away to head back inside effectively ending the conversation over what was wrong.

_Bloody women._ I shook my head lightly. _Far too complex sometimes._ I watched the sun rising even higher into the sky and looked out across the horizon. _I would hate to see the formula for cracking the code to women's emotions._ I chuckled lightly before shaking my head and standing crushing the end of my cigarette into the ashtray before heading back inside to do some more work.

* * *

=Alex's P.O.V=

I sighed heavily stopping my work briefly and leant against the workbench stretching my spine and muscles.

"Hunter"

I glanced under my arm at Young and sighed heavily. "What?" I asked tiredly as I straightened up and turned towards him.

He stalled taking me in before looking to the jet and then back to me. "You worked on this all night?"

I looked to the jet and snatched up a rag beginning to wipe my hands. "Yeah" I looked to Young before looking to one of the jets being taken out for a test flight.

"Have you slept?"

"A bit" I could see exactly what he wanted to ask.

"Are you alright?"

I threw the rag back onto the work bench. "Yeah," I turned away back to the particle laser behind me. "Fine, just tired" It was the truth whether anyone chose to believe me or not, I was just goddamn tired, mentally more so than physically.

"How's the laser coming along?"

I glanced to Young as he came to stop next to me. "Its fine, I'll test it later and see if it works as well as tweaking it to perfect it"

"Alright, radio me before you test it"

I gave a nod picking up my screwdriver before starting work on the laser again, both Greg and Maria working on the jet behind me. I looked up to Young when he hadn't moved and raised an eyebrow slowly. "Something else I can help you with?"

"Are you free this afternoon?"

I shrugged lightly. "I guess so"

"Great," He nodded lightly looking from his hands to me as he placed them behind his back straightening up. "I thought a game of soccer might do us some good, your squad members against some of mine"

I let a slight smile quirk at my lips before glancing up to him. "Its football and sure," I nodded to the tarmac out the hanger doors. "I'll ground the jets unless it's necessary and we can play out there"

Young gave a nod. "Alright, I'll go round up some of my men and come get you later on"

I gave a nod and turned back to my work before quickly turning back to him. "Hey!" I called after him. "I hope you realize I'll be playing too and if I'm playing you've got to play to"

"I wouldn't _dream_ of sitting this out"

"Good, hope you don't mind getting your arse kicked then"

"We'll see Alex, we'll see"

I turned back to my work before grinning, the mood I'd been in slowly dissipating into a much better mood, my usual, slightly eccentric, slightly crazy mood.

* * *

"Hey"

I looked over to see TJ standing here and nodded lightly. "Hey," I turned back to the Gatling gun we'd lifted from the jet so I could finally fix it properly. "Young send you down here to check on me?" I queried leaning over the gun to unscrew part of it.

"Yeah, he said you seemed a bit out of it this morning"

I shrugged lightly. "Nightmares," I glanced towards her. "They get the best of everyone once in a while," I looked back to the gun. "I try not to make a habit of it"

She stopped next to the work bench. "Nightmares?"

I nodded lightly. "Well not exactly nightmares but more like memories, something I'd just rather forget some days"

"What happened?"

I looked up to her before sighing softly, very few people knew about Sean and even less had queried the sudden name change once I'd come back from my month off. "Sean" I stated.

She nodded lightly. TJ was one of the few people who knew about him and the torment I had gone through after he'd died, the constant nightmares, the constant pain and suffering I had forced myself to endure because there was nothing I could have done to stop what had happened to him, the suffering I had put myself through because I never got to say goodbye or kiss him one last time.

"So I heard Young challenged you to a game of soccer"

I grinned lightly, "Football," I corrected her. "And yes he did," I looked towards her. "You going to be playing?"

She shook her head lightly. "I'll probably be fixing up whoever gets hurts"

I grinned sheepishly. "I apologize in advance"

"Why?"

"If you've ever faced me in a match of football you'd know but trust me at least _one_ person will get injured"

She laughed softly and nodded. "Alright, well try to go easy on them then"

"I'll try but no promises"

She nodded lightly and left heading back towards the elevator leading to the upper base complex hidden within the mountain.


	4. Football

**Football**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I grinned softly heading towards the runway with Maria, Greg, Dan and Matty in tow.

"So we goin' to kick some American arse are we?" Matty asked moving along side me.

"Well we're not going to let them beat us at our own game are we Matty?" I asked as I slung my arm around the brunette's shoulders, he was like a brother to me, someone I could rely on no matter what I asked of him, he'd been the one to crawl through all the broken wreckage to find my sorry ass when the cargo jet I'd been on had gone down, he'd been the one trying to stop the bleeding from the three bullets that had been put in my chest by an undercover spy. "What kind of Brit's would we be if we let them do that?" I grinned before looking up to Young, he was talking with Scott and Greer, milling around behind them were Becker and James.

"Ready to play Hunter?"

"Damn straight I am Young, let's get this match underway," I stated stretching slightly and nodded to Dan. "Goal" I stated nodding towards it.

He gave a nod and headed over getting into position as the rest of us did too.

"Friendly game Hunter" Young called as both Greer and Dan got into position ready for kick off.

"Yeah, sure, of course" I grinned lightly nodding to Matty and rushed forward as Dan kicked the ball towards me.

I faked a hard kick and moved sideways to avoid Scott before kicking the ball towards Greg who in turn passed it along to Matty who kicked it hard up the length of the makeshift playing field.

Our first goal was shorted lived as James scored an equaliser. I took possession of the ball and turned heading towards the goal, I spun quickly blocking Greer's access to the ball and kicked it towards Maria before skidding to a halt almost running head first into Greer, I tripped over my feet briefly before regaining my footing and headed towards the goal.

* * *

I doubled over placing my hands on my knees and exhaled sharply.

"You alright Hunter?" Young asked coming to stop beside me.

"Yeah, fine, getting too fucking old" I stated taking in a deep breath and grinned stopping the ball with my foot before it could reach Young and started up the field towards the goal again. I shifted sideways avoiding James and came face to face with Scott. I glanced back to see Matty coming up behind me and kicked the ball backwards with my heel before he took it running past the both of us towards the goal.

I laughed softly watching Greer and Dan fighting over the ball as Matty passed it along; both men skidded along the top of the tarmac before Dan managed to kick it into the goal lengthening our score by another one.

* * *

=Rush's P.O.V=

I stepped onto the smoker's balcony and massaged the aching muscles in my neck before looking down to the people running across the tarmac below. I narrowed my eyes slightly before realizing it was Alex and her rag tag squad of engineers and soldiers that were playing football against Young and several of his men.

I watched the Brit spin on the balls of her foot and kick the ball towards one of her team, Young snatching it mid roll taking it down the makeshift field towards the goal. I wet my lips slightly watching and shook my head. _Never play football against a Brit, especially **that** Brit._ I swept my eyes over the group again and watched as Alex's team scored another goal.

I watched her run, she was fast and agile, easily side stepping both Greer and Scott, it was almost as if she could bend her body to her will; I had, after all, seen just how flexible she was up close, not that I minded watching her work up a sweat.

I tipped the ash off the end of my cigarette and glanced at Brody as he walked out, a pack of cigarettes in his own hands. I moved my eyes back to the game and watched them running back and forth, both sides scoring goals with ease. _She's not even trying out there._

"Is that Colonel Hunter?" Brody asked leaning forward slightly watching the two teams run down the makeshift field yelling at each other. "I didn't think the military personnel were allowed to have fun"

I felt a twitch of annoyance and did my best to ignore him watching as both Alex and Young battled with each other for the ball, the Brit coming out on top as she managed to snatch it away from him kicking it to one of her team.

"You know, she's actually really smart," He pointed towards the Brit. "Heaps smarter than most of us, I think she'd be able to solve that proof if you gave her a bit of time on it," He took a drag on his cigarette watching the two teams racing back and forth. "She gave me a run for my money the other day, figured out a problem I've been having for months," He laughed weakly. "It was actually something really stupid..."

"Mr. Brody," I snapped lightly. "I do not _need_ nor _want_ to hear what you have to say right now" I shifted my eyes from him and back to the game of football watching as Greer was helping Scott up, Alex was hunched over next to James, both women were laughing about something said by one of them.

It barely registered as Brody left, the door clicking shut behind him quietly. I crushed the dying end of my cigarette into the ash tray and lit another before pulling a chair up to the edge of the balcony to watch how the game was to progress.

I winced as I watched both Alex and Greer crash into each other both sent sprawling to the black tarmac runway, the Brit hit the ground hard and rolled slightly before laying flat out laughing as she sat up and took Young's hand hauling herself up.

I watched silently as Young pointed out something to her before taking a look at the bloody graze down her arm himself, she waved away his concern and wiped the back of her hand down her jeans before dabbing at the wound with a black bandana she always had tucked in her pocket.

She looked to her 2nd before twisting and looking up towards me waving, a smile on her lips. I gave her a short wave back and felt a smile tug at my lips, she was full of life, something dangerous, eccentric and exciting, nothing like I'd had before, she was unpredictable at the best of times another thing I'd never had before, Gloria had been predictable, she'd stuck to a routine everyday like clockwork.

I narrowed my eyes lightly at how close her second was to her, his fingers lingered on her wrist for a second too long bringing on more jealousy than anything as I watched her smile and laugh softly wiping more blood away from her arm.

She stopped to talk to Young for a moment before looking her 2nd as he began to talk, the others all filing around the three of them as they began laughing and talking.

I exhaled slowly watching Alex as they all started back towards the hanger. _I need to get down there._ I stubbed out my cigarette and turned making my way quickly towards the elevator that led down to the ground level and hangers. I needed to talk with her, see her, touch her, I needed to drag her to a dark secluded corner and have my way with her.


	5. Running Rampant

**Running Rampant**

=Alex's P.O.V=

"Can I talk to you Colonel Hunter?"

I stalled and looked to Rush who was standing in the doorway of the hanger bay and nodded slightly. "Uh sure, just let me get cleaned up first" I stated grabbing a towel from one of the workbenches and scrubbed at the sweat on my skin.

The front of my tank top was soaked as was the back of it and the graze on my left forearm was stinging still from where Greer and I had collided sending us both sprawling across the tarmac. I glanced to Rush and stopped scrubbing at the sweat on my skin for a moment before wetting my lips, it was evident in his eyes just what he wanted. I watched his tongue dart out wetting his lips slightly before he turned away and pretended to be looking at the horizon out the hanger doors.

"So what do you need Doctor Rush?"

He glanced to Young before shaking his head lightly. "Perhaps we can talk privately?"

I gave a nod and motioned to the elevator. "Of course," I turned to Young. "I'll let you know as soon as I'm finished with that laser and as soon as the jets ready for a test flight I'll take it up myself"

"Alright" Young nodded before looking to Rush and nodding stiffly as he turned away walking off.

"Gee, you two really don't get along," I murmured shaking my head before slinging the towel down onto the workbench. "Come on, walk and supposedly talk, I need a goddamn shower" I stated heading towards the elevator.

* * *

I pushed open the door to my quarters and stepped to the side allowing Rush in before glancing out the door and pushed it shut flicking the lock across to ensure we had our privacy. I grunted softly as my back hit the wall, Rush's lips pressing eagerly against mine as his hands came to rest on my waist as he slid his hands under my sweat soaked tank top.

"I _need_ you" Her murmured, breath ghosting over my ear before his lips attacked my neck.

I moaned lowly and nudged him back yanking at my tank top only breaking our kiss to throw it to the floor before helping him out of his waist coat and dual layered shirt, why he insisted on having two shirts on here on Icarus was beyond me, the planet got far too hot for most of the day to even think about wearing anything other than a tank top and fatigues and even that got too hot sometimes.

I broke our kiss pushing him back onto the bed before tugging at the laces of my combat boots and kicked them off to the side before unbuckling my belt and shimmying out of my jeans. I glanced up to find him on the bed, flat out and naked already, his hand working up and down his hard on as he watched me undress. _Goddamn he's fast sometimes._ I nodded to the side table as I finished pulling my underwear off and wet my lips watching him roll a condom on. I pushed all coherent thoughts away as I dropped my underwear to the floor and unclipped my bra leaving them in the pile of clothing on the floor as I slipped onto the bed and lowered myself next to the Scotsman who was now busy stroking himself again.

I pressed a kiss to his lips slowly snaking my hand down his body to wrap around his, his soft groan was music to my ears as I slowly stroked him and pressed another kiss to his lips. "Is _this_ what you _want_?" I hissed softly against his ear biting down lightly on his earlobe.

I exhaled sharply as he pinned me down biting at my chest and neck. "Aye, of course this is what I want" He growled lowly biting roughly into the crook of my neck.

I moaned arching against him and dug my nails into his wrists as I hooked my leg around his waist dragging him closer. "Stop teasing me _Nick_ " I murmured bringing my eyes to his hazel ones.

He smirked lightly lowering himself slightly pressing his lips to mine. "But teasing you is fun _Alexandra_ " He murmured against my lips drawing out my name.

I groaned softly burying my face into his neck for a second before grinning and rolling us seating myself on top of him, I laced my fingers through his pinning him to the bed and seated myself on his lap. "But just remember I can tease you too" I murmured biting gently around the edge of his ear and grinned slowly making my way down his neck.

I rested my lips against the shell of Rush's ear moaning lowly as I sunk onto his hard cock, his fingers digging lightly into my hips as he let out his own moan. I managed to push myself up and arched slightly as his cock hit the right spot and slowly rocked my hips over his tearing his fingernails away from my hips as he dug them in tighter, I laced my fingers through his squeezing and let out a yelp of surprise as he turned the tables and managed to roll me underneath him, Rush honestly didn't look that strong but sometimes it was easy to forget that when we were rolling around with each other.

I could hear the radio crackle from its spot on the floor and did my best to ignore it as I ran my hands up through Rush's hair pulling him into another kiss, this one all teeth and tongue, no lip at all. I moaned softly clawing lightly at his shoulders and let my head fall back against the pillows, another moan rattling in my chest as his fingers scored lines down my ribs, his lips attacking my clavicle biting and sucking harshly in some sort of need to brand me.

I arched slightly as his fingernails dug deeply into my hip, a breathless moan breaking through my lips as he hit the right spot, the corners of my vision darkening as sweat beaded and pooled on my skin, another moan breaking from my lips as dark dots began to dance through my vision, the pressure building in my abdomen demanded a release.

I choked back a guttural moan and shut my eyes as stars exploded behind them, my body tensing and mind shutting down as a keen cry left my lips. I pulled Rush closer crushing our lips together as he let out a cry, his body tensing as he found his release.

I fell back against the pillow panting heavily as he collapsed next beside me and exhaled heavily.

"I'm gettin' too old for this Alex" He murmured, his chest heaving slightly.

I grinned lightly. "I'm only a few years younger than you remember"

"Aye, that you are," He murmured rolling onto his side before trailing his finger down my body. "I ever tell you how beautiful you are up close?"

I bit back a chuckle and nodded. "Plenty of times," I stated before pressing my index finger to his lips. "Now stop with the incoherent post sex rambling and just bask in the silence" I murmured stretching and tucking my arms behind my head, my joints popping and protesting as they stretched out.

"You're forty at the end of the year aren't you?"

I glanced to Rush and shook my head lightly, sometimes it made me wonder just _how_ he managed to get as far as he had with anyone. "Thank you for that reminder," I stated. "And yes, yes I am," I let my eyes drift to rest on the ceiling. "I'll have been in the air force for twenty two years"

"Twenty two years?" He murmured. "It must have been hard for you"

I glanced at Rush out the corner of my eye before shrugging lightly. "I worked to get to where I am," I idly stroked the bullet scars over the left side of my chest. "I strived to succeed and be everything that I could be," I grinned lightly. "And I'm damn proud of it too"

He nodded lightly before laying back, a light smile slipping to his lips.

I glanced to him before smirking lightly and quickly rolled onto my side before trailing my finger down his chest. "So Scotty," I grinned pausing for a moment. "Up for round two?"


	6. Fun Times

**Fun Times**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I exhaled heavily laying back to next Rush with my arms tucked behind my head and grinned lightly, eyes fixed on the ceiling, my heart hammering in my chest, blood racing through my veins. "We should really get back to work love"

"Aye, we should"

I glanced over at him and rolled onto my side resting my head on my hand and smiled lightly. "So are we going to continue to lay here or actually get up?" I grinned softly. "Because I'm all for laying here and saying fuck the world for the rest of the afternoon"

"Just a bit longer Alex" He murmured stretching and rolled onto his own side. "You know, I really don't know that much about you" His fingers stroking lightly over the three bullet wound scars over my heart.

I shrugged lightly nudging his hand aside to scratch the itch he had created over the scars. "Less complicated because I'm a very complicated person"

"So I've seen"

I grinned softly nudging him lightly in the ribs. "And what's the supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing at all"

I laughed lightly stretching slightly and winced as my spine clicked in several places. "Goddamn I'm getting old," I glanced at Rush and wet my lips lightly before turning to look at the clock on the bedside table. "Uh, I have the over whelming urge to just turn off my radio and go to sleep but you can bet your life someone will be on my arse if I don't go back to the hanger"

"Aye, I know the feeling," He stretched slightly before sighing heavily. "I need to tidy up and pack anyway, supposed to be heading back to earth in a few days," His jaw clenched slightly. "Someone's close to beating that game"

I nodded lightly. "You're not excited?" I queried watching his jaw clench a bit tighter before relaxing slightly.

"Nay I'm just tired, didn't sleep much last night," He paused slightly. "Or the night before"

"Join the club love, I'd much prefer my own bed" I stated before grabbing my water bottle from the bedside table and took a long drink wetting my tongue and itching throat before feeling the muscles in my lower back tighten up slightly as Rush ran a finger over my torso before slowly tracing lightly over the circular scar just under my ribcage.

"What the hell happened here? Bar brawl?"

I grinned weakly. "Something like that" It wasn't a memory I like reliving and in all honesty all we were, were friends with benefits, well in some way that's what we were.

"Colonel Hunter its Telford, I need you to take a look at a Gatling gun on one of the jets, it's jammed"

I growled softly snatching up the radio from the clothing that lay on the floor. "I swear to _god_ Telford if you've fucking taken that jet out again I will gut you alive and dump your remains in a fucking pit of Naquadria" I seethed, in all honesty if I could have I probably would have reached through the radio to choke the living day lights out of him.

Rush laughed from beside me as I clicked the radio off. I turned slightly to glare at him and threw my fingers up at him before pushing the covers back and sitting up properly as I started to grab my clothing.

"Watch your mouth Hunter"

"Oh bite me already Telford," I snapped. "Did it ever occur to you that I might be in the middle of something right now?" I glanced back at Rush as I stood and grabbed my underwear off the floor before quickly sliding them on and yanked my jeans off the floor to pull them on.

"And what's so important that you can't come and fix this gun?"

"Perhaps I'm relaxing, or maybe it's the fact I'm getting my goddamn rocks off" I grinned lightly clicking the radio off and threw the radio onto the bed as I yanked my bra and tank top on while waiting for a reply.

"Well that shut him up"

I glanced to Rush and nodded. "About bloody time too," I stated before tightening my belt and picking up my radio to clip onto my belt as I leant over the bed and placed a quick chaste kiss to his lips. "No rest for the wicked love, same goes for you," I grinned lightly giving him a wink as I stopped by the mirror to readjust myself as well as run a brush through my hair before pulling it into a quick pony tail. "See you at dinner Nick" I called over my shoulder as I headed out the door and started into a jog towards the hanger to see what damage Telford had done to my jets.


	7. Senators and Dinner Invites

**Senators and Dinner Invites**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I stood next to Rush's whiteboard decked out in my finest uniform, clean, pressed, jet black with the Icarus logo and British Flag and not a speck of dirt on it, I'd even managed to pull my breast length black hair up into a bun for the occasion. I had barely been paying attention to anything around me until Young motioned to me, my thoughts still on the Gatling gun that had started to misfire a few hours ago.

"This is Colonel Alexandra Hunter, she's part of the British Air forces Special Forces detachment of engineers that's been assigned to Icarus, she's currently our lead engineer for this project"

I moved my eyes from Young to the Senator and his aide before extending my hand to him. "Pleasure to meet you Senator Armstrong"

"Aren't you the woman who remodeled and redesigned the F-three oh twos?"

I glanced to his Aide before nodding. "Yes I am ma'am, currently I'm here maintaining them and working alongside Doctor Rush and his team of scientists and engineers to get this Stargate up and running"

"Are you ready for this Colonel?" The Senator motioned to the Stargate behind him.

"As ready as everyone else sir"

He gave a nod and looked to Rush as Telford dismissed his staff.

"Now, as you know, up until now, we have been unable to channel the precise amount of power necessary to unlock the Stargate's ninth and final chevron," Rush stated motioning to the Stargate behind everyone. "However, thanks to some ingenuity form young Mr. Wallace here, that problem has finally been solved"

I glanced my eyes over the boy that they'd plucked from his home and brought to Icarus to help out on this problem.

"We've heard that before" Young stated.

"This time we're sure" Rush retorted.

" _That's_ what I figured out?"

I gave a light nod as Eli's eyes swept over us before glancing to the Stargate.

"I embedded the mathematical problem we had to solve into the game. I then engineered your solution into a practical, workable application" Rush answered.

"What say we get on with it then?" Senator Armstrong asked before Rush nodded in agreement.

Behind his eyes he was excited to see everything he'd worked towards coming to life and the possibility of finally unlocking the ninth chevron had him over the top with joy.

I zoned out watching the gate begin to spin and stood beside Rush watching. He looked over and I gave a nod. "Good luck love"

He smiled wirily. "Thank you"

I nodded lightly leaning against the edge of the table with my arms crossed over my torso, the gate continued to spin, Riley calling out as each chevron locked into place.

I stood as the building rumbled and shook slightly, eyes flicking over the encoding screen and then to the gate as the power began to fluctuate. I glanced to Young who was stood with his hands behind his back watching the gate and the Senators reaction.

"Chevron Nine will not lock" Riley called as the building shook more violently, the capacitors above the gate sparking even more.

I cast Young a look before nodding lightly as he flicked his eyes from Telford to me.

"Shut it down"

"No," Rush called out moving over to Riley. "Wait, wait, wait"

"Shut it down now" Young placed a hand on Riley's shoulder before he shut down the gate. As soon as everything stopped shaking and the gate stopped spinning and groaning I released my breath I'd been holding.

Rush straightened up, disappointment behind his eyes as he forced a smile. "It should have worked"

"Well it didn't and drawing power from the planet core..."

"Dangerous?" Rush spoke over him. "Yes, I'm aware of that"

Young was getting annoyed with Rush. "Perhaps we should run through everything again and make sure we've gone through everything properly" I spoke up calming the situation.

Rush glanced towards me before stalling slightly and nodding. "Of course, Eli?" He turned to the boy genius. "We best go over your equations again," He stated before smiling as politely as he could the group. "Excuse me" He said before leaving us motioning for Eli to follow him.

I shook my head lightly before giving a nod to Young and Telford before turning and saluting the Senator Armstrong and his aide.

"Hunter"

I looked to Young and raised an eyebrow slightly as I nodded. "What is it?"

"There's a dinner tonight, I trust you'll be coming?"

I rubbed the back of my neck groaning softly, Young knew I hated formal events, he knew I hated dinners with politicians. "I don't know Young, I've got shit loads to do still, that jet's still not up to scratch"

He chuckled lightly and nodded. "Alright, good luck with that jet"

I nodded lightly before turning and looking to Rush who was busy working on his whiteboard again. I shook my head lightly before looking to the boy who was sat at one of the seats; I pulled out my cigarettes and checked how many I had left before glancing to him. "So you're the genius who cracked the code huh?"

He looked up wide eyed for a moment. "Yeah I guess so"

I nodded extending my hand. "Colonel Alex Hunter"

He shook my hand awkwardly and looked to Rush. "Is it true what the Senators aide said? You redesigned some jets?"

I nodded lightly. "Yeah, that was a while ago"

"How long have you been stationed here?"

"Six months, well I've been here five months really, I had a month off about a month after I got here"

"Really? What happened?"

I shook my head lightly. "Story for another time love"

He nodded lightly. "So you're the lead Engineer huh?"

I nodded again. "Finished three degrees in two years and my last took me another year to complete"

"How long have you been a part of the air force?"

"Since I was eighteen," I answered looking to Rush and shaking my head lightly before leaning closer to Eli. "Word of advice kid," I nodded to Rush. "He's crazy," I grinned in Rush's direction as he turned to frown at me. "And his insanity takes some getting used to love but once you're used to it you'll be fine," I stated as I stood and pulled out a cigarette sliding it between my lips. "I'll come back and see you later Nick"

"Aye... aye" The Scotsman mumbled absentmindedly, arms folded as he stared at his whiteboard trying to figure out where it had gone wrong.


	8. The Lucian Attack

**The Lucian Attack**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I stopped by the gate room to find Rush working on his proof. "Where's your little wonder child gone?" I asked stepped up towards the whiteboard.

"Dinner with everyone else," He mumbled before tapping his chin with the marker and making a few changes to the board. "There's something missing"

I ran my eyes over it; I had an understanding of Ancient. I could read bits and pieces of it and even write out a few sentences that were barely legible but I had some understanding of it unlike Young and most of the rest of the staff on Icarus. "It's not something you've overlooked maybe?"

He glanced over from flipping through his notebook that was filled with writing. "No, I've been over things at least a dozen times"

I nodded settling in a chair watching the Scotsman work though the method to his madness. I plugged my iPod into one ear after glancing around to make sure neither Young nor Telford were around.

"Do you have nothing better to do?"

I shrugged lightly. "Not really," I scrubbed at my eyes stifling a yawn. "I'll leave that jet for another day, if not I'll just scrap it and use it for spare parts," I said through my yawn. "And wearing that uniform once was enough for me today, don't need to wear it again for a dinner with a politician"

"You understand Ancient don't you?"

"Mhm," I murmured checking my cigarette to see how many were left. "You taught me a fair bit of it remember"

Rush continued to tap the marker against his chin, eyes firmly placed on the whiteboard in front of him. "We managed to match the power requirements but the gate couldn't lock on so that means something's wrong somewhere"

I rolled my eyes lightly. "I gathered as much when we tried to dial out," I ran my eyes over the writing on the board. "Perhaps it's the address"

He glanced over and furrowed his brow. "There was only one in the system and we've know the first eight symbols for years"

"I know but I'm saying maybe there's another somewhere else, perhaps another address that you can dial from this gate to get to another planet or whatever to dial the other address, a planet with a better power source, you know what that's likely _not_ to blow up if we drain it too much"

He stalled slightly. "I think that's the most helpful thing anyone's said," He turned slightly to look at me. "And it came from a _military_ officer no less" He snorted lightly.

I held my finger up and grinned. "Don't forget said _military_ officer is _lead_ engineer of this project too _Nicholas_ " I stated.

"Aye, _however_ could I forget that?" He asked with a sarcastic snap in his tone.

"Buck it up Scotty, you love it," I stated pushing myself out of the chair ready to go take a smoke. I stopped beside Rush and grinned lightly. "And as the saying goes _'Sarcasm will get you nowhere'_ or something along those lines"

"Actually it's served me quite well while I've been here"

"So I've seen," I smirked lightly. "On numerous occasions in fact"

He broke his contact from the board to throw me a brief smirk. "You've never complained about it before"

I put my hands up in defense. "And I'm not complaining now," I shrugged lightly. "Anyway I'm going to have a fucking fag because I'm dying right now"

Rush looked to the board tiredly and scrubbed his palms over his eyes. "Later" He stated before turning back to the board.

I turned to walk away and stumbled slightly as the building shook sending both Rush and I to the ground. I bit back a grin from my spot underneath him and gave him a smirk instead. "Can't wait to get me to a room anymore?" I asked before shifting and helping him up before standing myself.

I dusted myself off before another shake rattled the building.

"What the hell was that?"

"Don't know but I'm off to find out," I stated heading towards the stair well. I clicked my radio on as I started to descend the stairs. "Matty its Alex what the hell is going on out there?"

"Fuckin' ships just dropped out of hyperspace, their dropping jets like us on a Saturday after a Rams match"

I chuckled lightly. "Think you can tell me who they are?"

"Not sure, I can't make out anything on their ships"

"Alright, get your shit together, I'm heading down," I pushed open the door to the hanger and sighed heavily. "Encase you didn't hear Young we're under attack, I've got a good feeling we both know who this is and the big fucking question is how the hell did they find us?"

"Not sure Hunter but get your team together and head to the gate room, I want you protecting the civilians"

"Aye, aye sir," I rolled my eyes clicking my radio off and motioned for Matty to hurry the hell up as I clipped my radio back onto my tank top strap and checked my Desert Eagle's clip before grinning to him. "Lock and load brother, shit's hitting the fan," I glanced around the hanger bay before furrowing my brow. "Where's the other three?"

"Greg and Dan are in hanger twelve and Maria's outside somewhere"

I cursed softly looking to the open hanger doors, it was suicide to go looking for Maria in the middle of all this, I clicked my radio on and growled softly. "Maria get your ass back inside now," I waited for a reply and clenched my jaw when I didn't get one. "Dan, Greg, if you see Maria stay with her, we're needed in the gate room, if you can't make it get outside to a safe area and the Hammond will pick you up"

"Yes Colonel"

I turned to Matty and caught the gun he threw at me. "Let's go get this shit over and done with," I stated before turning to see Maria staggering into the hanger. "Maria?"

She collapsed to the ground as both Matty and I moved over towards her, blood covering a good portion of her face and jumpsuit. "Sorry Colonel" She murmured, her left hand a burnt mangled mess.

I dropped down pulling her up and sighed lightly. "Never say sorry for something that you can't control," I murmured brushing back a few strands of her bloody matted blonde hair. "Rest easy Maria, you've done well"

She nodded mouthing a thank you and clutching my hand before her grip weakened and then fell slack completely. I bit back the heavy sigh as Matty's hand came to rest on my shoulder.

"Come on Alex"

I stood letting her slip from my grip and turned away jogging after Matty as we made our way back to the stairwell, tears stinging in my eyes at the loss. _I'm going to get revenge on whatever bastard is responsible for this Maria, I promise you that._

* * *

I rushed into the gate room and almost skidded to a halt see Rush and Eli talking with each other.

"A code?"

"Yeah!"

I glanced between the two, determination in Rush's eyes as he turned to Riley. "Stop dialing"

"I have my orders"

I looked from Riley to Rush and back again. _This isn't going to end well._ I looked to Matty and gave him a weak smile before standing on the platform whistling to bring everyone's attention to me. "Step away from the gate and keep away from the area where the puddle will be," I called before turning and heading to Rush and Eli. "Young is going to have your head mounted on a silver platter when he finds out what you're doing" I stated giving him a soft grin.

"What the hell do I care what Young thinks?" He snapped. "This could be our only opportunity and I'll be damned if I'm going to waste it"

"Couldn't agree more now get the hell on with it" I stated watching as the final chevron locked into place and the event horizon swept out in a larger than normal burst, the building still rumbling and rattling around us.

"What's everyone doing I ordered an evacuation" Young yelled as he entered and stepped up towards us, his eyes moving from me to Rush to Eli who stepped over to him.

"He didn't dial earth; it's the ninth chevron address"

I saw the look of murder in Young's eyes.

"The attack started a chain reaction in the planets core. There was no way of stopping it; any blast could easily translate through an open wormhole. It's too dangerous to dial earth"

"You could have dialed somewhere else, anywhere else"

"This could be our only chance"

"Shut it down"

"I agree with Doctor Rush, this could be the one time we get to do this and right now this is looking better than dying as this planet explodes" I stated speaking up.

"I didn't ask for your opinion"

"Well you're getting it anyway, we'll get as much as we can through now and then send people through"

He looked to the gate before nodding. "Send someone through and get radio contact as to what's on the other side"

I nodded before grinning to Matty. "Up for an adventure?"

He broke a grin to match mine and nodded. "Shit yeah"

I hugged him briefly. "Good, go through and we'll wait for ten seconds before sending some stuff through" I bid Matty a good luck and watched him disappear through the gate before calling everyone to attention. "I want everyone to gather as much of these supplies around the gate as they can and send them through the gate"

"Why?"

"Why is not the question right now, just damn well do it," I snapped back before turning to Rush. "I'll be right back"

He nodded lightly looking back to the gate with wide eyes.

I made my way out and down the hall to my quarters before exhaling slowly and grabbed my pack from the wardrobe, it was already packed with a spare set of tools and two spare sets of clothing, all I needed was my laptop and a few other things and I'd be set.

I grabbed my laptop and several other items from my desk and drawer before exhaling slowly and running back to the gate room, I looked up to the gate to find everyone pushing and shoving to go through, my eyes landed on Rush as he slipped through the gate, his protégé after him. I exhaled slowly making sure people got through before exhaling and looking up at the gate before hoisting my pack higher and stepping through.

* * *

The breath was knocked from my lungs as I went rib first into the floor, I could hear the sickening crack through my body and groaned lowly laying there for a minute before Young came flying through, his body landing near the back of the room as it was thrown into darkness.

"You alright Alex?"

I groaned lowly hugging my ribs as Matty helped me to my feet. "Yeah fine," I grumbled softly doubling over from the pain flaring up through my ribs from the undoubtedly broken one, I touched my chin and whisked away the blood from the deep cut and held onto Matty's arm breathing harshly before straightening up and looking around. "Where the hell are we?"

"Don't know, looks like a ship"

"It sure as hell ain't the Hammond" I stated cracking a lopsided smile before groaning softly as someone stepped back elbowing my ribs in the dark. I slipped my pack from my shoulder and yanked out my torch before clicking it on and shining it around being careful of people's eyes. _Where the hell is Nick?_ I sighed softly keeping a tight grip on my ribs as I moved through the crowd towards the back of the room, towards TJ, Scott and Young. "How is he?"

"He's bleeding badly"

I nodded lightly. "We need to find Rush"

Scott nodded standing and glanced around before calling for Eli. "Help me find Rush, Colonel stay here and keep everyone calm"

I gave nod before TJ looked up and smiled slightly before shaking her head. "You broke a rib or two didn't you?"

"Nothing I can't handle" I stated grinning slightly and flicked my eyes over the crowd again.


	9. Stepping Up to the Plate

**Stepping Up to the Plate**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I let of a soft groan of pain. TJ had confirmed at least one broken rib and four fractured ones, she'd done her best to bind them tightly to keep them in place and given me orders not to do anything in a hurry.

I let out a pained sigh as I settled on one of the bench surrounding the main control interface room consoles. "So it's either someone gives up their life or we all die?"

Rush looked up from his spot and nodded. "Exactly, it will buy us a day at least to figure out a way to get the life support working" He stated.

I gave a nod before taking another painful breath, each movement of my lungs and each movement through my body causing a rush of fire and pain to course through every fiber of my being. I glanced towards Matty and swallowed roughly before standing and nodding towards one of the hallways before walking out.

"What is it?"

I cleared my throat glancing back to the Control interface room to make sure no one could hear us. "I'm injured Matty," He went to protest until I put my hand up and stopped him. "I can't ask you or anyone else to make this sacrifice, it's not right and you damn well know it"

"Alex I can't let you do this"

"And I can't ask you or anyone else do to this, Matty you've got a family to get back to, you've got a son and a wife"

He looked away for a second before looking back and laughing weakly. "Jessica's been fucking some guy that's been doing the bathroom for us"

I cocked my eyebrow up. "Really? Love why didn't you say something?"

He looked up, a broken grin slipping to his lips. "I didn't want to burden you with my shit Alex, you don't need it," He sighed heavily scrubbing his hands over his face. "Shits headed south so fast since I've been deployed off world," He sighed heavily leaning against the wall. "This is just going to make it another nail in my coffin Alex"

I hugged him tightly biting through the pain from my ribs and kissed his temple lightly. "It'll be alright love," I looked back to the CIR and sighed softly seeing Rush watching us. "Come on, this shit's about to get ugly"

We stepped back into the CIR, Rush's eyes narrowed slightly watching us. "A problem?"

I shook my head moving my eyes from Rush to Eli and then back again. "Tell me what you need me to do to seal that shuttle"

Rush shook his head light. "You can't do it"

"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do Doctor Rush; I can't expect someone else to do this"

Rush shook his head standing. "You do this and we'll lose your strengths, the skills we'll need later on down the line to survive"

"Matty's more than capable of doing the things I can do" I motioned to Matty next to me.

"He doesn't have the _same_ training _you_ do"

I sighed softly and brushed back my fringe bringing my eyes to Rush's. "Nick, I can't ask someone else to do this and that's final," I winced slightly grabbing my ribs and pushed away Matty as he stepped forward. "I'm fine"

A radio crackled on one of the console before Scott's voice came through. "Rush is the senator in the control interface room with you? He's not in his room"

I looked to Matty and nodded towards the door. "Go help them"

He nodded lightly turning and striding off; I watched him leave and sighed heavily. _Great I'll be in the shit with him for a few days._ Matty and I had known each other since we were kids, we'd grown up down the road from each other and done everything with each other until I'd joined the Air force and he'd joined the Navy, it was the last time in 5 years that we saw each other, after that I'd been told I was getting a new member for my squad, a transfer from the navy, I'd even been given his file which had disappeared into a stack of files on my desk never to be seen again and it wasn't until he'd walked into the workshop that it had registered it was him. When I'd been shot and nearly killed he'd been the one sifting through the broken wreckage of the cargo jet we'd been on to save my life, he'd been the one to stop the bleeding from the three rounds put into my chest.

"Alex?"

I broke from my thoughts and looked up to Rush nodding lightly. "What?"

"I need your help searching through the database" Rush motioned to a console.

"Aye, I bet you do" I murmured softly straightening myself up and headed to one of the free consoles.

* * *

Chloe hurtled into the room with murder in her eyes, I stepped back out of her way minding my ribs, Rush was in her war path as she shoved him towards a wall and began kicking and slapping at him.

"Miss Armstrong!" I moved forward to grab her and took an elbow to the ribs winding me briefly before Scott rounded me and tried to grab a hold of her to drag of her off.

"You! You did this! You killed him! You killed all of us!" She screamed at him.

"Chloe calm down" TJ said trying to calm the hysterical girl.

"Get away from me!" She screamed shoving TJ away before pulling free from Scott. "All of you!"

Rush brought himself to his feet and approached Chloe cautiously and nervously. "M...M...Miss Armstrong," He stammered softly. "You're in shock. Believe me, I understand," He paused slightly. "Everyone deals with tragedy in different ways, you're looking for someone to blame"

"I'm not looking" Chloe snapped taking a threatening step forward.

Rush backed up a few steps before regaining his ground. "I'm sorry about your father," He began softly. "I truly am. He was a good man and he certainly wouldn't have been my choice," He took a cautious step forward. "But you must realize, none of this was my fault. I didn't create the situation that forced us here. There was no other way"

Chloe collapsed onto a bench, her head in her hands as TJ sat next to her.

_This could end badly._ I watched as Rush squatted in front of her and lowered his tone.

"Miss Armstrong. I know you probably don't want to hear this right now, but," He paused. "But this ship," He looked to her. "This ship could be the most important discovery mankind has made since the Stargate," TJ rolled her eyes lightly as Rush spoke. "You know the Icarus project was something your father truly believed in, enough to risk his career to support it"

Chloe raised her head to glare a deadly glare at him. "What difference does it make if we all die?" She snarled lowly.

Rush sighed softly. "A number of people died during the attack on the base. Some of them I knew very well"

"I'm sure some had more value than others" She stated bitterly.

Rush looked taken back for a second. "As human beings _all_ of them were invaluable," He lowered his head attempting to sway her to his way of thinking. "Look, my point is, I promise you I will do everything I can to make sure no one gave their life in vain," He stood and looked down at her hopefully. "Please give me a chance"

She looked up before standing, pure hate in her eyes as she moved past him. I glanced to Rush a genuine look of hurt crossed his face as he turned away.

I settled down on the bench, pain searing through my ribs.

"Are you ok?"

I looked up to TJ. "If I had some pills I'd be better but I'll be fine"

She gave a slight smile. "I gave give you a shot of morphine..."

I shook my head. "No, save it for someone who needs it, this isn't the first injury I've had"

She gave a nod before departing to tend to others.

"We need to get back to work"

I nodded to Rush and leant against the console again, I scanned my eyes over the words and images as I flicked through them before stopping to read bits and pieces. I furrowed my brow lightly. _Destiny? Is that the ships name?_ I searched through the databases and found it several times in the same context as the first. "I think I found a ship name"

Rush moved over to beside me nudging me out the way carefully. "Destiny?"

I nodded. "I found it several times, each time it's used in the same context while they're talking about the ship"

"Why Destiny?"

I shrugged lightly. "Perhaps she was their Destiny? Maybe she's destined for something bigger than we can comprehend"

"It's now our Destiny"

I gave a light nod before glancing to Eli. "Going to help us out Eli?"

He looked over before sitting up. "I just watched a man die"

"I know"

"Do you even _care_?"

I looked away before looking back to him. "I'm Colonel Eli, I've lost several people under my command, mostly recently I lost three of my closest friends... my family, in the attack on Icarus" I swallowed roughly. "One of them died in my arms Eli," I wet my lips looking back to the console. "It's never an easy thing to go through but sometimes you must put your emotions aside and do what you can to help the others around you no matter how much you want to grieve" I looked to Rush's hand as it curled around mine, no one other than Matty knew Maria had died and all I could do was assume Greg and Dan had perished too until I heard otherwise.

Eli stalled before glancing to Rush. "What about you?"

"Of course I care but I'm also trying to learn as much as I can as quickly as I can. I'm also running several searching through the database for anything helpful"

"So what did you find?"

"Destiny" I answered.

"As in ours?" He stood coming to stand on the other side of me.

I shook my head. "It's the ships name"

Rush motioned to the screen in front of us. "It also appears as if the ancients were never actually here"

I furrowed my brow looking at the piece of information he was reading. "I thought this was an ancient ship"

"It is, they sent it out unmanned," He stated before looking up. "They probably learned to ascend before they got a chance to come aboard"

I wracked my brains briefly for a definition and gave a nod when it finally sunk in what he meant. "What's that?" I nodded my head towards the flashing on a nearby screen.

Rush growled softly tapping at the screen before taking off down the corridor to find out what was happening.


	10. Cool Down

**Cool Down**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I stood silently, one arm wrapped around my ribs waiting on the away team to come back through; it had been hours since they'd left, the planet a desolate land of nothing but sand and heat. I let the breath I'd been holding in go as Franklin and Rush came back through, everyone filing round them to see what had happened.

I moved around the group as Rush stood and smiled lopsidedly offering him my water canteen before waiting as he nearly drained it. "Come on," I murmured nodding towards one of the halls. "I'll help you cool off"

His lips curved in a slight smile. "I think _that_ might heat us up even more" His voice was hoarse but the intent was there, the playfulness hidden behind his hardened exterior, his crazy exterior.

I laughed. "That's not what I meant love, I meant I could help cool down your burns"

He looked to the burns on his arms. "My face and neck too?"

I nodded lightly keeping a grin to myself. "Kinda half cooked lobster right now" I murmured before failing miserably at keeping my grin in and flashed it briefly before smiling brightly.

"Thanks," He shook his head lightly checking out his burns. "Half cooked lobster," He murmured before chuckling and shaking his head. "My quarters are this way"

I nodded lightly following after helping him shrug out of the bag and desert camo jacket and handed them off to Riley before helping Rush slink away from the group.

* * *

I ran the damp cloth over Rush's hand as gently as I could, the skin had gone a brilliant shade of lobster pink from his time in the sun.

"You know you didn't have to do this lass"

I looked up grinning lightly. "I know I didn't _have_ to but I _wanted_ to"

He nodded relaxing back against his bed slightly as I continued to dampen the burns in the hopes of soothing them.

Rush groaned softly looking at the burns before settling back again, he growled softly snatching his hand away and glaring at me. "Careful"

"Baby" I teased grinning softly.

He scowled softly before giving his hand back to me. "You're not the one that got burnt"

"Because _I_ wasn't allowed to go," I motioned to my aching ribs. "Ribs remember"

He looked to my ribs before nodding lightly. "How are they?"

"Hurt like a bitch but I'll get over it," I grinned softly looking up at him and brushed back the longer strands of my fringe. "Going to get a gnarly looking bruise over them for a couple of weeks until they heal"

He smirked lightly. "I'll have to remember to be careful with you then"

I grinned lightly, cheeks flushing a light red. "No need to be too careful, I like to _feel_ it when you fuck me"

He grinned shifting slightly and dragged me down onto the bed. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is," I bit back a smug grin as his fingers curled around my wrists. "What're you going to do about it?"

"Maybe I'll just have to make you _feel_ something"

I couldn't help but smirk and wet my lips. "Oh yeah? Think you're up to it?"

"Think _you're_ up to it"

"Want to put my injuries to the test huh?"

"If you're up to it"

"I'm _more_ than up to it"

He grinned releasing one of my wrists and trailed his hand down my side quickly unbuttoning my jeans as he'd done a million time before over the past few months and pushed them aside.

I arched lightly moaning from the pain in my ribs and the pleasure as he pushed two fingers into me, lips attacking my collarbone as his thumb circled my clit his fingers slowly working in and out of my pussy.

I curled my finger into a ball as I arched off the bed moaning loudly as he added another finger and slowly slipped them out before pushing them back in teasing me. "Don't fucking tease me"

"But teasing you is fun" He growled softly biting at the edge of my ear.

"For you maybe," I groaned lowly. "Not for me," I panted softly twisting my wrist under his grip. "Makes me want to goddamn strangle you" I hissed moaning and writhing slightly under him.

His lips pressed against mine as he drew his fingers out, a whimper leaving my throat at the sudden loss only earning a soft husky chuckle from him. "Don't worry lass, I've got something much better than my fingers for you" He growled lowly taking my hand and pressing it against the bulge in his pants.

I moaned lowly looking up at him through half lidded eyes. _My ribs are going to be on fucking fire later but this is_ _ **so**_ _worth it._ I grinned lightly watching him strip his pants off before he yanked my jeans and underwear off dumping them on the floor with the rest of his clothing.

I gasped softly clenching the blanket beneath me as he entered me, hips settling against mine as I hooked my legs around his waist dragging him closer.

"Sure your ribs can handle this?" He groaned lowly.

"Bit to late to ask that question and fuck my ribs I'll deal with the pain later," I murmured drawing him closer and pressing a kiss to his lips as I wound my fingers through his hair. "Now scratch the itch you put in me"

He grinned softly and tucked an arm under my waist drawing out slowly before slamming his hips back against mine, a jolt running through my bones and through my body.

I dug my nails into his back dragging them down slightly and grinned softly as he arched lightly under the treatment, muscles tensing under my fingertips as he thrust forward before reaching to pin my hands down.

I groaned softly at the movement in my ribs and panted softly moaning as Rush stepped up the pace, movement getting faster. "Shit," I curled my fingers into my hands in the need to grab onto something. "Harder"

His movements slowed, thrusts becoming harder. "Can you _feel_ that?"

I moaned lowly at another hard thrust. "Yes" I whined softly as he drew out, hips stalling.

"Want me to keep going?"

I growled glaring at him before swiftly turning and sinking my teeth into chest, I released my hold, a deep impression left behind as he cried out, a hard thrust following. "I warned you a _long_ time ago _Nick_ ," I hissed between my teeth. "I damn well bite and I can bite a _hell_ of a lot harder than that" I murmured kissing the bite wound.

His movements regained their fast rhythm after he tightened his grip around my wrists, a guttural almost feral growl rumbling in his chest. "Cum for me _Alex_ " He hissed softly, hips hitting mine again in a hard thrust.

I felt the muscles in my lower back tense and moaned softly. _God damn him._ I moaned clenching and unclenching my fists, a whining pant leaving my throat. "You want me to cum for you do you?" I smirked crushing my lips to his and tore a hand free digging my nails into his shoulder.

He panted softly, sweat dripping down from his brow. "Yes, cum for _me_ "

I wet my lips, pleasure and heat racing through every vein in my body before it exploded, black spots dancing around the edge of my vision, a cry leaving my lips drowning out his words as he pressed kisses down my lips, cheeks and neck to my collar bone, his cock swelling and bursting inside of me.

I shook slightly, pain and pleasure flaring through me, pain from my ribs, pleasure from my orgasm leaving me shaky and unwilling to move.

Rush collapsed next to me chest heaving as he panted. "I think we should get back to everyone else don't you?" He mumbled softly.

I shifted looking towards him. "Fuck 'em, they can wait a little while longer" I murmured stretching slightly as I sat up and grabbed my water from the bed side table before taking a long drink and offered it to Rush.

He nodded a thanks and took a long drink before handing it back. "Well we need to go and see if Scott and the others are back yet anyway"

I nodded lightly standing and grabbed my clothing pulling it on quickly before grinning softly and pulled my hair free of the pony tail it had been falling out of before fluffing out my hair, I glanced at Rush who was blinking and watching me. "What?"

"I've never seen you with your hair out before"

I nodded lightly and threw his clothing at him. "Gawk at me later," I stated. "Come on" I headed towards the door and grinned softly heading out back towards the gateroom.


	11. Smokers

**Smokers**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I settled down against the headboard and grinned softly as I began to roll a cigarette, I'd been depriving myself again and again knowing that when this lot of tobacco went I probably wouldn't get any more for a _very_ long time.

I twisted slightly turning to the beat up laptop set up on the side table and hit next before waiting to see which the next song would be, I continued to roll my cigarette and furrowed my brow before hitting next again and grinned softly listening to the rock n roll lyrics of Motley Crue's ' _Dragstrip Superstar'_ play out.

I glanced up and rolled my eyes licking across the paper before giving a yell for whoever the hell was on the other side of the door to come in. "Afternoon love," I glanced at the watch on my side table. "Well more like evening"

Rush nodded lightly taking a shutting the door and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Spare one?"

"Share, I want this to last as long as it will before I go through withdrawals and make everyone life a living hell"

He laughed softly settling back against the headboard glancing around the room. "Not bad, better than mine"

"Yeah well it's away from the rest of the population but close enough so that I'm not a complete bitch hermit"

"Bitch hermit?" He queried furrowing his brow lightly.

I nodded grinning softly. "So why are you hiding?"

"I'm not"

"Yeah you are otherwise you would have gone to your own quarters, so you either want to have some fun or you want to hide _but_ with some sort of company that's not going to make you want to take a gun to your head"

He rolled his eyes lightly. "Just light the damn smoke lass"

I grinned lightly lighting the cigarette and took a deep breath holding it as I held it out to him and slowly released the breath with a smile. "So, what's Young got you doing now?" I queried. "I can only assume that's why you came to seek out my solitude and company"

"Can't I just take a break every once in a while?"

I bit back a laugh almost failing miserably. "You, have a break?" I snorted lightly. "Do you even know the meaning of the word?"

He glared lightly throwing his fingers up at me before handing the cigarette back. "If you're going to be like that I'll leave" He made a move to get up.

"And miss out on a fag? I don't think so love" I grinned as he scowled and settled back down on the bed.

"You're lucky you're beautiful" He muttered softly settling back against the headboard and folded his arms over his chest with a soft huff.

I laughed softly. "Flattery won't work darlin' especially since it's not true"

He growled softly dragging me down and pinning me to the bed. "Don't say that, you're goddamn gorgeous and whoever tells you different should be shot"

I lay there blinking for a moment, I couldn't contain my surprise at his sudden outburst, he'd never shown this kind of possessive jealousy before, sure I'd seen it in his eyes when Matty and I were together doing something and generally having a good time but he'd never ever voiced his thoughts or done anything about it. "Love, can you let me up? You're hurting my wrists"

His eyes moved to the wrists he had his full weight pinning down and shifted loosening his grip around them before he stole the cigarette from between my lips and took a drag before leaving it in the makeshift ashtray before pressing his lips to mine, fingers slowly curling through mine as he nudged the grey tank top up slightly to reveal my torso.

I grinned lightly tipping my head back off the edge of the bed as I curled my fingers around his allowing him access to my neck, I groaned softly feeling his teeth scrap against my throat and swallowed roughly, lust burning through my body. "Just remember, you leave a mark on me, I leave a _very_ visible mark on you"

He grinned almost as if accepting a challenge. "Is that a promise?"

"You can damn well bet your fine Scottish arse it is" I growled lowly before shifting , my skull cracking against Rush's, as the door's slid open.

"Just how hard is your fucking head?" He groaned softly touching the tender spot on his head.

I groaned lowly holding my own head before looking at Rush. "Be thankful it wasn't the full force of my English skull," I grinned softly. "You can thank Saturday football matches for that"

"Have you seen... I'm not interrupting am I?"

I glared at Young. "No, of course not," I bit out sarcastically. "What the hell do you want Young?"

"I was looking for Rush, seems you found him for me"

I rolled my eyes swinging my legs off the edge of the bed and quickly finished the end of the dying cigarette as I stood. "Well here he is" I motioned to the Scotsman before crushing the end of the cigarette and grabbed my jacket off the couch as I walked past it.

"I'll talk with you later Colonel Hunter"

I gave a nod to Rush as he slipped out of the room and started off back towards the Control interface room. I stopped in the doorway looking deadpan at Young. " _Must_ you cock block me?" I queried with a dead straight face before walking past him and slapping the door lock before heading down towards the Mess hall to get a drink and my dinner rations.


	12. Ancient Text

**Ancient Text**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I wandered slowly along the hallways humming softly, iPod plugged into my ears blaring Pink Floyd through the ear buds into my head. I trailed my fingers along the cold metal walls of Destiny's vast halls, I'd taken to walking and exploring when my mind was uneasy and when I was restless, on those days and nights when I couldn't sleep and didn't want to be surrounded by people and with us having gotten here little over a week ago Rush was enthralled with everything Destiny had to offer but then in saying that so was I, I was thriving here.

"Hunter come in"

I sighed softly ignoring the radio clipped to my belt, last thing I wanted was to have Young ordering me around doing this, that or the other, all I wanted was to be alone for five minutes, was it really too much to ask?

"Damn it Hunter, I need you in the Control Interface Room working with Rush, he's been an insufferable ass to everyone else," Young stated tiredly. "And so help me if you've turned this radio off there will be hell to pay"

I smiled laughing softly before grabbing the radio and flicking it off before turning up another hall making a mark on the wall with a piece of chalk before starting through the new hallway, I could almost feel it, that small voice screaming in the back of my head that someone was watching me. I stopped turning to look behind me before resting a hand on the wall beside me, the metal vibrating ever so slightly. "It's only you isn't it?"

I'd come to the conclusion over the past few hours of exploring that Destiny had _'eyes'_ as it were, she knew we were here, she knew we were in trouble, she knew we needed help.

I sighed softly continuing on, Desert Eagle strapped to my thigh encase I needed it, not that I would, I was relatively sure that there was nothing else on this ship except us. I grinned softly stopping in front of a door and readied my small hand cannon before opening the door and quickly doing a sweep before my eyes widened at my find, the engine room.

I tucked my eagle away and started towards the bridge over the gap in the floor between the two largest engines. I watched in wonder as they worked and grinned slightly leaning onto the railing simply watching the engine before me working, parts of it were turning and parts of it pumping while several other parts opened up letting out short jets of steam into the already hot room.

"Fucking amazing," I murmured softly. "Simply fucking amazing"

I laughed softly and grinned victoriously at my find before peering down into the lower area of the room, it stretched down for a good long way, falling would be deadly but there was a path built along the outside of the walls spiraling down towards the bottom. "If I decide too off myself I'm coming here to do it"

I swallowed roughly and fingered the dog tags around my neck, in my entire career since I'd been given them they'd only left my neck once and that had been my wedding day. I looked down to them, carved into the back of one was my unit insignia and carved into the back of the other was the Grim Reaper.

I ran my fingers over the unit insignia and sighed softly, the loss of Maria weighing heavily on my mind, I'd gone back to Stargate command and had seen both Greg and Dan, both were safe and well having been beamed aboard the Hammond before the base apparently collapsed and the planet exploded.

I swallowed roughly before glancing back down wondering just how much it would hurt if I jumped, my mind began to wander and wonder if I'd even feel it or if I'd be dead before I hit the ground. _No second chances, once it's done it's done, can't jump and then change your mind._ I sighed softly pulling away from the railing and turned to look at the engines on the other side of the room before heading over to the other side of the bridge.

I glanced around before spying a lone book sitting on one of the long forgotten consoles, I made my way over slowly and picked it up flipping through the first few pages before furrowing my brow, my understanding of ancient was limited and it would take forever to translate the book into a readable format since it was _all_ in ancient.

I sighed softly before sliding down against the wall, I had taken a walk to find peace and quiet, sure the engine room was quiet and it was hot as hell but at least it would be _my_ dirty little secret for a while, _my_ hide away until I was needed to rejoin the land of the living or until I needed food.

I glanced around smiling softly as I rested my head back against the wall closing my eyes for a second before finally drifting off.

* * *

=Rush's P.O.V=

I looked up as Young came storming in, radio in his hands.

"Where the hell is Colonel Hunter?"

"I wouldn't have a clue"

"Well can't you find her on one of the maps?"

I looked towards Young and snorted before shaking my head. "There isn't a big _'this person is here'_ red dot on the maps to tell you were someone is," I snapped. "If there was it would make _my_ job a hell of a lot easier" I shot back, the curiosity as to where the Brit had disappeared to niggling at the back of my mind.

"I don't need your lip Rush, I need to know where she is, she's the only person that can work with you for more than two seconds while you be an insufferable jackass to everyone else"

"That's because she stays out of my personal space and isn't an insufferable idiot" I countered with a snap, my patience suddenly wearing thin again as I searched through the menu's to try and find some sort of program to run on the mapped areas of the ship to try and find a life signature that would be away from everyone else but it was possible she'd gone on a walk to an unmapped area of the ship that we hadn't explored yet.

"I don't care what you do just damn well find her and send her to me once you do"

"Of course," I stated idly, the sarcasm ringing in my tone as he turned away and walked back out. "Idiot," I murmured shaking my head before grabbing my radio and switching it to another channel. "Alex its Rush," I waited for a minute as I worked before flicking it to another channel. "Alex its Rush, come in" I flicked through each channel waiting for a reply each time before sighing softly wondering where the hell she'd gotten too. _She could have fallen down something, she could be stuck, she could have died._ My mind began to run wild, heart quickening in its beats slightly, a familiar feeling twisting in my guts. _She could have damn well dropped the radio for all I know or the battery could have died or she could have even turned it off, no need to go getting worried about her, not when she's fully capable of taking care of herself._ I sighed trying to ease my nerves before looking up towards the door as the female I'd been looking for entered the room, book under one arm, sweat rolling over her skin. "What the hell have you been doing?"

"Went for a walk" She stated grinning softly and wiping sweat away from her flushed skin.

I narrowed my eyes lightly, she looked liked she run a hundred miles with a heavy pack on her back and a hundred layers of clothing on. "In a sauna?"

She laughed softly and shook her head before rounding the consoles towards me, the smell of sweat, oil and something else rolling off her skin making every hair on my body stand on end. "I found something," She stated as she passed before stopping in the doorway behind me. "And if Young asks I'm busy in another area of the ship" She called over her shoulder before turning down the hall way that led to her quarters.


	13. Engine Room Hideaway

**Engine Room Hideaway**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I hummed softly and trailed my hand along the wall, I wanted to spend some time alone in the engine room, the one place I could go on this entire ship where no one would bother me, where no one could find me.

" _Their gang went my way for basketball_  
My gang went their way for alcohol  
When we met it wasn't pretty at all  
Still the bells of St. Mary's kept ringing"

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prick, that sinking feeling of being tailed overwhelmed me for a brief moment, I refused to let it show as I turned down a hallway and pressed myself against the wall waiting.

I turned quickly grabbing Nick and pressed him against the wall. "Why are you following me?" I growled softly.

"Where the hell are you going?" He queried.

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes" His answer was short and snappy.

I rolled my eyes leaning in and pressing my lips to his. "You're sexy when you're angry, know that?" I queried grinning brightly and wrapped a hand around his tugging him after me. "Come on"

He stumbled slightly trying to keep up with me as I led the way through the twisting halls and stopped at the Engine room door. "What is it?"

"Shut up a minute and I'll show you," I stated disengaging the lock and grinned as heat rolled out of the doors as they opened. "It's my own personal sauna" I called over my shoulder leaving him standing in the doorway.

"The Engine room?"

I nodded beckoning him over as I leant onto one of the rails. "She's fucking magnificent, never would have dreamt in a million years that Destiny would have held all this," I motioned towards the engine. "Every time I turn a corner I find something new and exciting, something that intrigues me and pique's my interest, something that nags and nags at me to find some way to solve it"

He stood next to me leaning against the railing and gripped it tighter as he looked down. "Long fall"

I nodded. "That's what I thought"

"So this is where you keep coming when you turn off your radio?"

I nodded lightly watching the engine's beneath us turn and work away before frowning lightly. "Something's not right"

"What do you mean not right?"

"Well, yesterday when I came in here they were running smooth, fine, but now there's something not right with them"

"Well it is an old ship lassie," I smiled lightly at the term of endearment he only ever seemed to use with me. "And we have arrived, probably going to run out of power sooner or later"

I cringed slightly. "And if that happens what? We begin drifting unable to dial out to another planet and we suffer until we die?"

"That would be my guess" He was just as blunt as I was some day but the difference between us was that I knew when to keep it to myself and when to sugar coat it whereas he didn't.

I stood staring down at the engines and smiled lightly remembering the first time Rush had called me lassie.

_I shifted slightly under the F302's wing and flinched slightly at the drop of oil that splashed against my cheek and sighed wiping it off with the back of my hand, I could feel the grease from my hands smear across my cheeks and sighed softly before going back to my task at hand._

_I tugged the group of wire's pulling them down lower and held my screwdriver between my lips as I sorted through them running my fingers along the fried one and growled softly shaking my head lightly._

" _Colonel Hunter, don't suppose you've got a cigarette to spare do you?"_

" _Jacket," I motioned behind me, my words mumbled by my screwdriver before I took it from my lips. "On the table"_

" _Aye, thank you lassie"_

_I stalled slightly looking at the wires and frowning before stopping what I was doing and turning to face Rush. "What did you just call me Doctor Rush?"_

_He stalled with my pack of cigarettes in hand and frowned for a moment replaying the conversation in his head. "Lassie," He stated before turning and looking up at me. "Didn't mean too, just a slip of the tongue"_

_I stared at him for a moment and shook my head lightly. "It's alright," I blew a strand out of my eyes and turned back to my jet. "Maybe you're not so much of an arsehole after all"_

" _Pardon?" He sounded almost offended._

" _Forgive me, I've mostly gone on everyone else's assumptions and tales about you," I explained unscrewing another section of plating. "And they're not exactly the best," I continued as I dropped the plate to the ground with a loud crash and kept following the wire with my screwdriver. "Mostly going along the lines of how much of an insufferable prick you are to work with but since I haven't worked with you yet I haven't had the first had experience to draw my own conclusion"_

_We'd only been here about three weeks and his first impression hadn't been the best, he'd been a right prick actually, rude and quite disrespectful but I'd tried not to let it colour my judgement of him, since everyone has bad days, until I'd started hearing all the stories about him from everyone else._

I shifted beside Rush and looked towards him, his eyes unfocused as they rested on one of the engines, he was deep in thought about something, maybe reliving something of his own. "Come on"

He jerked slightly and looked towards me. "What?"

"We need to get back," I motioned to the radio's clipped to our belts. "If Young can't find either of us he'll have a fuckin' coronary"

Rush nodded lightly looking to his radio and switched it back on.

"...Well where the fuck are they Scott? Can't have both disappeared at the same time surely..." Young's voice crackled through the radio followed by the lieutenant's answer. "Don't know sir... they could be together I guess, I mean they're both human right?" Young's answer made me grin softly. "Hunter maybe but Rush I'm still debating about, just find them, they can't have gotten that far, double check their quarters and the mess hall" Scott answered with a confirmation and the radio fell silent.

I grinned softly shaking my head before turning my own radio back on and bringing it up to my lips. "Young both Rush and I are together, we're down in different section of the ship, I needed his help decoding something I found"

"Right," Young's answer was clipped and short. "Just hurry up and get back, you're both needed to help Eli in the Control Interface Room"

"Roger that," I rolled my eyes lightly and looked to Rush before jerking my head. "Come on; let's get the hell back up there, I'm not looking forward to Young's reprimand when he sees me next"

Rush nodded giving the answers one last look over before whisking away sweat from his neck and started towards the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song that Alex is singing near the top is Famous for Nothing by the Dropkick Murphy's.


	14. Meltdown

**Meltdown**

=Alex's P.O.V=

I looked to Rush, the hand with the mug in it shook lightly as he worked. _He looks like hell, I wonder if he's slept yet?_ I flicked through the pages I'd been writing notes on before looking back at Rush, he seemed agitated as he stood and marched out of the room.

I sat up straighter and watched him leave, my eyebrow cocked in question before heading over to his console to have a look, a room somewhere down the hall was flashing red. _Uh oh, someone's going to get their head bitten off._

"Doctor Rush, Doctor Rush, I was wondering…"

"Not now!" I heard him snap at a person who sounded like Riley.

I waited for a moment before my gut growled begging for food. _Shit…_ I groaned lightly remembering Young had called a meeting to be held during breakfast. _Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it. Now I'll really be in the shit._ I stood quickly and grabbed my jacket before slinging it around my shoulders. My ribs were still mending but so far I'd managed to keep them wrapped and no one had bumped into them.

I broke into a light jog biting through the sharp stabs of pain and headed towards the mess hall before slowing down and walking in, everyone in the room looking towards me as I entered. _Now why do I have that sudden sinking feeling they were all talking about me?_ I narrowed my eyes lightly and glanced at Young.

"Colonel, so glad you could finally join us"

I rubbed at the back of my head and gave a soft impish grin. "Yeah... about that..." I motioned in the direction I'd come from. "I've been busy in the Control Interface Room," I explained and nodded my thanks to Becker as he gave me a bowl as I leant against the wall next to Matty. "So what'd I miss?"

"Nothing much, we have about ninety thousand litres of water left"

I frowned lightly and grimaced at the food as it slowly went down my throat sticking to the sides and leaving a cold feeling like it was stuck to my insides. "For this many people? That won't last long"

He nodded. "Tell me about it, Eli also told us about some showers"

"Been there seen them, there's a shower block just down from my quarters" I stated swirling my finger around the bowl before idly licking it clean as Rush stomped in from the door beside us. I slowly arched an eyebrow and watched him sit down without a word to anyone.

Becker headed over with a bowl and handed it to him. "Your ration sir"

"Thank you" He mumbled softly staring into the bowl of white goop like it could tell him the answers to solving all of Destiny's problems.

"I ordered you here twenty minutes ago" Young stated sitting down across from him.

_This should be interesting._ I tipped my head towards the small group of three, Young, Camille and Rush. Matty let a soft smirk slid to his lips; we were both thinking along the same wavelength.

"I've been working," He paused. "Throughout the night actually," He added. "Trying to find out why our power reserves are so low," Young glanced back at me to check if it was the truth. I nodded lightly, Rush had been in the control interface room when I'd left last night and he'd still been sitting there when I'd arrived this morning. "I'm quite concerned and so should _you_ " He stated.

"How bad _is_ it?" Young asked watching Rush eat.

"I haven't been able to access the main systems yet so I don't know" Rush stated angrily.

"You look exhausted, maybe you should take a break" Camille said looking Rush.

I could help but snort softly. _Yeah right, he'll take a break when he's finally died from exhaustion._ Rush looked at me with a soft glare in his eyes before the lights above us flickered before righting themselves. _Uh oh._ I watched Rush's reaction change instantly as he dropped the bowl noisily onto the table top and looked to Young.

"Can you please stop people running around activating every bloody system they can get their hands on?" He asked.

"I will"

Rush gave a nod before standing and turning to Becker. "That was delicious, thank you"

I twisted my lips as a grin threatened to break onto my face at his sarcastic attitude.

"Colonel?"

"Hmm?" I turned my attention to Camille as I handed my bowl to Becker with a light nod as I took Rush's vacated spot across from her and Young.

"Was Rush really up all night?"

"Well he was there when I went to bed around midnight and he was still there when I got up around five"

Camille nodded lightly and looked to Young. "He does look exhausted," She looked back at me. "Do you know if he gets much sleep?"

"What makes you think _I_ know the answer to that?" I queried. "And besides, knowing if Rush gets sleep is like trying to find the answer to the end of the universe"

"Well he seems to tolerate you more than anyone else"

"I don't think he'll tolerate even _me_ right now, he's about this close," I held up my thumb and index finger and put them close together. "To the edge of insanity"

Young sighed. "Just get him to go to sleep Hunter; you're the only one that probably could"

I snorted softly. "I can _try_ can't guarantee I'll be able to do it though, he's the kind of _'sleep when I'm dead'_ person, like me" I grinned softly standing. "But I'll see what I can do just stay off his back for the day and let him work in peace; it should make him a far happier camper than usual" I stated and started back towards my quarters to finish trying to translate the first chapter of the book I'd found into my laptop.

* * *

I drifted down the hallway and felt the heat staining my cheeks still, the book I'd found wasn't just a book, well not by the sounds of the first few chapters, it was a novel of sorts, more of an... adult book than anything and not just your average everyday missionary position style but some pretty hardcore stuff too, good to know the Ancients weren't prudes and that they loves to get themselves off as much as the next.

"Look… Look! No, you're right, you are right" I stalled in the hallway; the shouting was drifting from the gate room. _That sounds like Rush and he doesn't sound very happy._ "It was your _reckless, pointless_ attempt to dial earth that robbed me of the time I needed to solve this problem!" _That's definitely Rush and it sounds like he's finally gone off his rocker at Young._ I picked up a light jog and came to a standstill in the door way of the gate room.

"Maybe you're just missing something" Young spoke calmly trying to calm the ranting Scottish scientist.

I ran my eyes over the scene before me; Young was stood with Volker slightly behind him. Rush was pacing back and forth before them. None had seen me in the doorway yet.

"Yes!" Rush yelled. "The opportunity of a _lifetime,_ all because you wouldn't listen to me!" His shadowed face caught the light briefly, tears were in his eyes. He was _royally_ pissed off. I crept along the outside of the room towards Young and Volker just in time to catch Young radioing TJ to come down. "I _refuse_ to be held responsible for this situation" Rush was beginning to pace again.

"Nobody's blaming you" Young stated.

I couldn't help but shake my head as a slight smirk slipped to my lips. _No one might say it out loud to his face but do you_ _ **really**_ _think he's that stupid to not notice how they all talk behind his back?_

"I ran out of time"

"You can still fix this"

_You're only making it worse Young._ I moved around the console towards them. Rush was pacing with his back to us, his fingers on the crook of his neck and shoulder massaging the muscles there furiously.

"Fix this!" Rush yelled turning in anger towards Young. "What? You think just because you give the order it's possible?" He spat coming closer to Young. "There is no more power! Destiny _saved_ every last _ounce_ of its reserves for _life support_!" He snarled before turning away and beginning to pace again. "And I've seen it happening! I've seen it being sequestered away from me!" He looked like he was ready to drop dead. "And then you go and send me people who can't even begin to comprehend what is happening, if anyone could help me it would be _Alex_ ," I furrowed my brow lightly before glancing to Young who had taken note that I was now in the room with them. "She is actually _able_ to _comprehend_ the _seriousness_ of our situation, she knows what to look for," _I have to admit this is actually a pretty spectacular mental meltdown._ "I tried… I tried to stop it. I tried to come up with a way to stop it but I couldn't!"

"Rush…"

I unhooked my own radio from the strap of my tank top and pressed the button on the side. "TJ this is Hunter, we need you in the gate room _now_ and grab Matty along the way, you might need some help moving everyone's favorite Scot," I clicked the radio off and clipped it back onto my shirt before starting towards Rush in an attempt to calm him myself since Young had done a banner fucking job already. "Nick, Nick I need you to calm down"

"In a few days time," Rush clutched his head in pain. "This, this ship will go dark," A look of pure pain past through his eyes. "It will go dark and cold…" He never finished his sentence as his body began to crumple. I rushed forward grunting as I caught him and placed his carefully on the floor.

"Ah love what the hell have you done to yourself?" I murmured softly pushing his eyelids up before glancing up to Young. "He's out cold"

"TJ _now_ " Young yelled into his radio before kneeling beside me.

"What on _earth_ did you say to set him off?" I asked glancing to Young.

"I sent Volker to work with him" He motioned back to Volker who was stood wide eyed watching us.

I chuckled softly and flicked the side of his temple lightly. "Silly boy, I told you this morning to leave him alone for the day, should have come and found me instead"

"Next time I will" Young muttered looking to TJ as she and Matty rushed in.

"What happened?"

"You missed the meltdown of the century," I grinned softly sitting back on my knees and took Matty's outstretched hand as he extended it to help me up. "Help TJ take him to the infirmary"

He nodded helping TJ haul the Scot up and started after her towards the infirmary.

"So you and him," Young nodded towards Rush as TJ and Matty whisked him out of sight. "What going on there?"

I grinned softly and shook my head. "It's complicated Young, really, really complicated and I'm talking like inner workings of how the TARDIS can fly through time and space complicated"

"What?"

I shook my head lightly. "Never mind, all you need to know is it's complicated and purely between me and him" I stated before turning and heading towards the CIR to finish my work I'd started when I'd gotten up this morning.


	15. Nothing to Record

**Nothing to Record**

=Rush's P.O.V=

I flicked my eyes open with a soft groan. _Where the hell am I? What in god's name happened?_ It took a second for it to hit me and I groaned softly again before spotting TJ sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Hey," She said softly. "How are you?"

"How did I get here?"

"With a little help from Captain Chase," She smiled lightly. "Plus you're not _that_ heavy" Concern passed through her eyes.

I groaned softly flopping back against the pillow. _Hellfire and shit. I made a bloody ass of myself. Just brilliant._

"You passed out for a little while"

"How long?"

"About ten hours," She stated. I shot up feeling dizzy as the blood rushed through my veins. _Goddamn it all to hell, I need to get back to work._ "It's probably the first _real_ sleep you've had since we arrived here" She stated placing a hand lightly against my chest to stop me from getting up.

"Has anything happened?"

She shook her head. "Not since we lost power, no, you haven't missed a thing," She stated as I put my hand up to my head with a grimace as pain dug its claws in. "How do you feel?"

Heat swept over my body making my face burn. "Embarrassed"

"Don't be"

"Oh, you weren't there" I stated.

"You're head's pounding right?" I nodded lightly. "How many cups of coffee do you normally drink a day? Four? Five?" I jerked my thumb upwards indicating a higher number. I'd basically lived off my coffee and cigarettes. She smiled sympathetically at me. "You're in caffeine withdrawals, so are about a dozen other people on board, it can make you pretty crazy," She smiled slightly. "You should see the smokers"

"You're looking at one" I said ruefully before rubbing my eyes.

"Double whammy huh?" She chuckled softly before standing. "Well I was going to let you sleep it off but Colonel Young wants you to see something so let's go"

I groaned softly standing before following her out.

* * *

=Alex's P.O.V=

I stood in the usable shuttle with the others, a smile rested on everyone's lips as they all chatted about the three planets we'd found.

I glanced over my shoulder and grinned slightly. "Hey! Look who's finally awake"

A slight smile graced Rush's lips as he moved to the front of the shuttle to stand with us. "Orbital insertion trajectory?" He asked.

"That was my first thought"

Both Greer and I began laughing, Young giving a soft chuckle too. "No, your first thought was we're going to fly into the damned thing!" Greer stated with a grin at his friend.

"No," Scott grinned softly. "I'm guessing we'll get close enough to kiss but not enough for capture"

"An aero braking manoeuvre?" I gave a nod to Rush's question as he looked over at me.

"That's over my head but yeah, we should slingshot and come out in the system somewhere"

"So where are the habitable plants?"

Young glanced accusingly at TJ who grinned softly. "I didn't tell him" She stated.

"No but the majority of you are smiling" His eyes stopped on mine giving me a pointed look.

"We're still too far away to get any proper readings but we found three before this big blue brute of a monster filled up the windows" I stated giving him a soft impish grin and nodded towards the windows.

"So this trajectory's no accident then?" I shook my head before he moved to look at the stickers before peeling them off. "Who translated this?" He asked giving everyone an accusatory look. "You know it's completely backwards right?" He asked as he put them back in the right spot.

Scott looked away in embarrassment before standing up. "We'll be clear in about six minutes"

"So we're clear, my definition of _habitable_ includes a sandy beach, tropical climate..."

"There's going to be severe turbulence" Rush stated cutting him off.

Young glanced to him before nodding. "We'll pass the word"

I gave Rush a soft grin. "What?" He asked as I leant on the back of the chair closer to him.

"I must say you _really_ know how to put on a show"

He looked up, wide eyed and face flushed slightly. "You saw that?"

I nodded. "It was a pretty _spectacular_ meltdown love," I stated before smiling slightly. "I've seen several good ones in my life time but _yours_ takes the cake"

He looked away before lowering his tone. "I'm embarrassed enough Alex," He looked past me before raising it his voice for everyone to hear. "We should enter the atmosphere soon, be prepared for a rough ride"

I settled into a chair and buckled the seat belt across my waist as the shuttle rocked slightly before beginning to rock again. I could still remember the severe turbulence and intense g-force from my pilot training, that sickening feeling and creeping darkness that would cling to the corners of my mind after a few hours of training, thankfully over the days and weeks had gotten better until I no longer blacked out or felt sick.

I stood from my spot after unbuckling my seat belt as the shuttle stopped it's violent rocking and moved to where Rush was staring at the consoles. _He doesn't look too impressed anymore._

"This is, this is unbelievable," He stated before I came to stand beside him and he motioned to the console. "Look at this"

I glanced at the screen taking in the information before dread filled my stomach making it twist in knots. "That's not good"

"Please... Please everyone! Be quiet!" Rush snapped before sighing. "Our trajectory has changed"

Scott glanced to the screen before looking up to the two of us. "This isn't good"

"What's happened?"

"That planet altered our course more than we hoped," I stated motioning towards the star burning in the distance. "We're heading straight for that star"

TJ's face fell as did everyone else's.

* * *

I jumped slightly as a Kino was shoved into my face by Eli. "Record a message" He stated.

"I don't need to Eli" I stated before tapping the Kino to push it back slightly.

"Come on Colonel," He goaded. "Look I'll even do the intro for you if you want," He stated and settled the Kino on me. "This is Colonel Alex Hunter; she's a Colonel and engineer with the English Air force, she's..." He trailed off and I sighed softly before finally glancing up at the Kino.

"It's Alexandra"

"What?"

"My name, if you're going to get it right it's Colonel Alexandra Hunter"

"Oh... right... sorry"

I shook my head lightly. "It's alright and I'm thirty nine"

"Really?"

I nodded as I stared at the Control Interface Room for a moment, I'd wanted to be alone, I'd wanted to traverse Destiny's halls alone and in peace for a little while as I gathered my thoughts and threw my emotions back into check. "I have no one to leave a message for Eli"

"Come on there's gotta be someone"

I shook my head and lowered it slightly. "If I die out here I have no one to mourn for me back home, it was just me and Sean and Sean's gone"

Silence fell over us as he digested the information, the Kino hovering just over his shoulder. I gave the room one last long look before headed out towards Young's room.

Ever since it had come to light that we would head into the star I had been thinking. If Destiny was going to go down I would go down with her. I had come to the decision a long time ago that if we were going to _ever_ get home she was our best chance at it.

"Young?"

He looked up as did Camille. "Colonel Hunter? Can I help you?"

I nodded. "I'm taking my name from the lottery"

"Why?" He seemed almost surprised.

"I've already thought about it and I honestly think Destiny is our best hope of _ever_ getting home and if she is going to go down I might as well go down with her"

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Even if there _was_ another way to get back to earth from the planet I can say in all honesty I don't _want_ to go back," I looked between them both at the look of surprise and shock. "I have nothing left there and here, here I am actually useful"

"You can't do this, you could very well be the only chance those that make it through the lottery have if you make it too"

I glared at Camille as she spoke, my temper flaring briefly, n _o one_ got to tell me what I could and could not do anymore. "For starters _never_ tell me what I can and cannot do, you have no right," I snapped at her, my stance becoming rigid, muscles tense and hard. "And for another I do not wish to live of a fucking _rock_ with people I hardly know, I would rather die a fiery death with Destiny than watch her burn from afar"

"But you ca..."

"What the hell did I just say?" I growled cutting her off, she snapped her mouth shut and glared lightly at me.

Young gave a nod before digging through his papers and pulling one out. "Are you sure about this?" He asked once again.

I nodded and watched him tear the paper in half. "I will be in my quarters should anyone need me" I stated before saluting the both of them and turning away to head back to my quarters.


	16. The End

**The End**

=Alex’s P.O.V=

I settled on my bed with my hands behind my head and sighed heavily watching the infinite space outside the small window on the wall to my right, I inhaled slowly and held my breath for a moment before releasing it in a slow steady exhale, I’d waited for this moment for a long time I’d just never thought it would arrive so soon.

I stretched slightly and relaxed against the bed again before pushing myself up, eyes resting on the window as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, I stood and made my way towards the window before leaning against the warm glass, I folded my arms and leant against them before tracing a small pattern into the dirt on the window before wiping it away. I glanced into the reflection of the window as the door behind me slid open and smiled slightly.

“You look like your contemplating”

“Maybe I am,” I slowly pushed away from the window and rocked back on my heels before turning towards Rush to find him leaning on the doorway playing with his broken pair of glasses. “What do you need?”

He paused for a moment unsure of what to say. “I... I wanted to come and thank you”

My lips twitched in a smile. “Thank me? For what?”

“Everything,” He stepped into the room and shut the doors. “Ever since the start of this you’ve treated me like I’m human, you’ve treated me with a decent amount of respect”

“That’s because you’ve _earned_ my respect Nick,” I settled on the bed and cross my legs looking up at him as he stood beside the bed. “Sit” I motioned to the bed and waited for him to sit down.

He sat down and played with the glasses in his hands for a moment before looking up. “Aren’t you scared? I mean you seem awfully calm about all this lassie”

I shrugged lightly. “I’m not afraid to die, hell I’ve been there several times,” I reached up stroking the scars across my chest. “When you’re on that verge, in that twilight zone you think about the people that have touched your life, you think about your loved ones, your kids, you think about all the things you never did and all the things you regret doing,” I paused. “At least that’s what I did,” I shrugged lightly tracing a pattern onto the top of the bed. “With the exception of course that I don’t have kids and I don’t actually have that many regrets”

He turned to look at me and shifted before wrapping a hand over mine. “What happened?”

I looked at the scars and sighed softly. “How much do you know about my career?”

He furrowed his brow in confusion. “Not much, it ended early didn’t it?”

I nodded lightly. “When I was twenty seven,” I moved his fingers over the three scars dangerous close to where my heart was. “These are what ended it,” I sighed and scrubbed my hands over my face before looking up at him. “I was on a flight transporting some sensitive cargo between an allied base just outside DC and one of our bases in Cardiff,” I smiled slightly at the memory that came to my forethought's, the one from moments before the crash of Matty and I talking and joking over a card game. “Matty was with me on that flight, been with my squad for nearly a year when everything went down,” I explained and clenched my jaw tightly remembering the feeling of nearly being sick when the plane began its fatal descent towards the earth. “Turns out our pilot had been replaced with a spy,” I picked at my nails and looked up at him. “I took three shots to the chest, two missed my heart and the last one barely missed it,” I looked towards the window and then at Rush. “The plane went down into a field; Matty saved my life, managed to keep me breathing and stem the bleeding, even put a bullet in the bastards head,” I looked at the scars on my chest and sighed softly feeling the familiar tight tension in my chest that I’d become accustom too over the past twelve years. “The damage done to my chest ruled me out for ever getting back into a fighter cockpit so I swapped my pilot skills for training up my engineering skills, the head honcho called up my commander and had him task me with redesigning the F-three oh two’s for the American’s,” I reached out lightly running my fingers over his hand. “O’Neill turned up a few months later and offered me a position in the Stargate program as a British liaison,” I chuckled softly and shook my head lightly. “Turns out that spy was from the Lucian Alliance, the material’s we were transporting were some relics apparently, ones that an SG team had taken from a Lucian controlled planet” I shifted lying back on the bed.

Rush moved lying beside me and shifted drawing me closer to the middle of the bed, one arm wrapped around my shoulders with the other settled at my waist. “I’ve got a question, something I want to ask before it’s too late”

“Hmm? And what would that be?”

“You’ve stood up for several decisions I’ve made, put yourself in the firing line between Young and I more than once, even put yourself between Telford and I, why? Why did you do it?”

“Because I stand up for what I believe in,” I laughed softly. “Remember when you and Telford got into that row near the beginning of the project? I think that’s the day Telford and I became mortal enemies”

He chuckled roughly. “Probably and I remember it quite well, it was the first time you ever stood up for me,” He laughed again. “First time I ever saw you brawl too”

I laughed resting my head on his chest and listening to the steady thump of his heart before smiling softly. “You’re one of the smartest people I’ve met Nick and trust me I’ve met a fair amount of people in my lifetime”

“I never thought I’d meet someone from the military with a brain,” He tipped my chin up. “You managed to prove me wrong”

I shifting up the bed a bit. “To get this far in my life I had to have a brain; I dog fought to get to the top, to prove I was better than everyone else,” I explained and grinned slightly. “That and being a rank higher than lieutenant requires at least half a brain” I turned and grabbed my cigarettes from the side table and slid one between my lips before offering one to Rush as I lit my own and sat up leaning against the wall. “My last ones” I explained as I took a lungful of smoke and held it for a moment before releasing it.

“Cheers,” He murmured taking it and took the lighter lighting his cigarette before resting back beside me. “Do you _truly_ believe in Destiny?”

I nodded. “Destiny was sent out for a reason bigger than any of us on board can comprehend and one day, whether we’re alive to see it or not, she’ll make it”

There was a brief pause; I looked over at him to see a smile resting on his lips. “You’ve got to be one of the strangest people I’ve ever met”

I smiled a genuine smile before lowering my head. “I can be eccentric and it has served me well, I have tried to live every day as if it’s my last and now that, that day is almost here I can rest easy knowing I have lived my life how _I_ wanted to”

His hands wandered slightly coming to rest on my thigh before he pulled the cigarette from between my lips and placed both of them into the makeshift ashtray before pressing his lips against mine, his hand wandering even further up my leg and across my torso to cup my breast.

I moaned softly against his lips and ran my hand down his arm slowly inching towards his jeans and gently unzipped his jeans before pushing them out of the way before wrapping my hand around his dick and pumping it slowly before grinning softly at the soft moan that escaped his lips.

“Stop teasing me Alex”

“But teasing you is so much fun” I couldn’t help but smirk and nipped lightly at the side of his throat before rolling onto my knees and sitting up, I tugged my tank top and jeans off before slipping over his lap and tugging at the double layered shirts he was wearing before throwing them to the floor.

I grunted softly as my ribs shifted as my back landed on the bed and wrapped my arms around his neck dragging him closer before crushing my lips against his again as his hand moved down my side and slowly pulled my underwear off before throwing them off to the side with his jeans.

I let out a soft groan and dug my nails into his shoulders as he thrust into me, I felt pain flare through my ribs as my back arched and moaned burying my head into the crook of his neck as I nipped and kissed at the tender piece of skin covering the front of his throat.

Rush groaned softly, hips meeting mine as he thrust into me before drawing out and exhaling slowly resting his forehead against my shoulder cursing softly. “Shit, I’m close”

I grinned softly tipping his face up and pressed a heated needy kiss to his lips before rolling onto my front trying to relieve the pain in my ribs, a soft groan was my answer when I positioned myself onto my hands and knees, his hands roamed across the line of paw prints tattooed across the skin to the left of my spine before a cry left my lips as he thrust into me, nails digging into my hips.

I panted softly burying my face into the crook of my arm and let out a hoarse moan as I rocked back against him relishing in the feeling of being full, relishing in the feeling of my oncoming sexual release. I clenched the blanket on the bed and let out a soft panting breath and shut my eyes tight as his fingers began to work at my clit.

I shivered under his touch and rocked back against him moaning louder as heat and pleasure began to coil through my gut, I gave a soft choke and thrust back against him giving a shudder at the friction caused by the two of us and clenched the blanket tighter letting out a hoarse choked moan into it as a pleasurable fire swept through every inch of my body.

I groaned softly and shivered as the sweat coating my body caught a small chill in the air as Rush thrust into me once more before beginning to empty himself into me, a soft moan falling from his lips as he collapsed against my shoulder and placed a soft kiss to it.

I shifted collapsing to the bed and sighed contently before burying my face into my arm and eventually rolling onto my side to look at Rush who’d collapsed beside me, I reached out moving a long strand of hair out of his face and rested my hand on his cheek before placing a tender kiss to his lips.

“Alex,” His words were slightly mumbled until he opened his eyes and sat up slightly. “Alex I need to tell you something”

I arched my eyebrow in question. “What is it?”

“I...” His voice trailed off as the lights above us flickered for a moment.

_Did that just seriously happen?_ I looked to Rush before nearly jumping off the bed and grabbing my clothes tugging them on as he did the same thing.

“Come on” He rushed out of the room heading towards the CIR.

I couldn’t help but grin and laugh at the sight of the console lit up and stopped briefly checking them before turning and rushing along the hall towards the main observation deck, my socks slid across the floor causing me to grab hold of the door frame to stop myself from sliding past the room before rushing inside making both Eli and Chloe jump as I jumped over the bench in the centre of the room. I skidded slightly gripping the banister and grinned laughing. “You gorgeous beauty!”

Rush leant against the banister beside me. “Oh yes!”

“Uh, _what_ are we so happy about?” Eli asked sitting up on his seat, Chloe beside him.

“We’re going to live Eli” I stated as he stood.

“What about the turbulence and the heat and the death?” He asked, Chloe behind him gripping his hand.

“No, all of that would have happened by now,” Rush stated motioning to the window I was standing staring out of, I couldn’t help the smile that adorned my lips. “The shield is protecting us”

“But you said we were out of power” Chloe said looking to the window.

“I was _absolutely_ certain of that,” He grinned. “And I have _never_ been more _pleased_ to be _wrong_ in all my life”

I turned slightly and gave him a genuine smile. “Bet you’ll never say that again” I laughed before turning my attention back to the star.

Rush turned and hightailed it from the room, I turned and gave chase following him through to the CIR.

“There’s a rumor spreading that we’re still here” Young stated as he came in.

“We are,” Rush stated smiling down at his console. “Destiny needed all its power reserves to protect itself _and_ us”

Our grins matching as I settled at a console. “We’re _inside_ the star” I stated bringing up a holograph projection.

“ _That_ can’t be right” Young stated looking to the screen. “That would mean...”

I nodded in excitement. “She’s _solar_ powered”

“Destiny is powered by the stars themselves” Rush’s eyes never strayed from the holoscreen.

I stalled as I remembered the shuttle. “The shuttle...” I murmured motioning to the small white dot on the screen. “We need to call them back”

Rush glanced to it before glancing back at his console making an attempt to figure out the communication link between Destiny and the shuttle as the countdown timer sprang to live and began to tick down.

* * *

I glanced around, Eli, Young and Rush were all thinking of a way to help the shuttle match Destiny’s speed.

I closed my eyes taking a calming breath and smirked before hitting the talk button. “Scott I need you to head the shuttle directly towards the planet, I can tell you the exact position in a moment,” My mind was racing as I looked up. “They can use the same manoeuvre Destiny used but in reverse” I explained, my fingers flying over the console before me in an attempt to work out the exact coordinates they would need.

“Got it!” Eli called.

“Hang on, are you sure?” Rush asked moving quickly to his console.

Eli looked up at him dead pan. _“Math. Boy_ ” He stated. “Send it”

Rush gave him a nod. “Ok, Math boy,” He hit the keys on the console and moved back to his own. “Sending the new course now”

“Is this going to work?”

“It’s going to be close” He stated truthfully before holding his breath, both Young and I doing the same thing as we watched the holoscreen of the shuttle and waited for confirmation that it had worked.

I saw the look of relief in Young’s faces as Scott confirmed their landing.

“Well done!” He moved past Rush ruffling his hair as he went. “Well done!” He stated before leaving just the two of us sitting at the consoles.

“What were you going to tell me before?” I queried watching him from across the room.

“It doesn’t matter,” Rush shook his head lightly barely bringing his eyes up from his console. “It wasn’t important”

I frowned lightly and nodded turning my attention back to the console before me and started to check how many systems were back on line before a small bite of pain hit my guts, a soft groan slipping from my lips. _Not now, please not now, I don’t want to deal with this right now._


	17. Migraines

**Migraines**

=Rush’s P.O.V=

I felt my eye twitch at the soft whirring of the Kino. It had been hovering around all day and right now it was making my headache worse. “Can you turn that thing off?” I snapped irritably causing Eli to look up, he grabbed the remote switching it to search mode before it whirred off down a hallway to do its thing.

I massaged my neck and shoulder, the muscles tense and sore from being hunched over the console all day and most of the night, I’d barely left this room for the past 3 days since Destiny had repowered from that star. I stood taking a sip of my water before exiting the room, I wanted to relax for just a moment and I wanted to see Alex who I hadn’t seen in the past 2 days either, she’d become almost elusive.

I walked along the hallway as quickly as I could, radio clutched tightly in my hand as I tried to stop it from shaking, I turned down another hall and heard the radio crackle, Young’s voice coming over it. _“Colonel Hunter I need you to pick up your goddamn radio and check in, I’ve already sent Lieutenant Scott and Greer out through the ship to find you and they can’t seem to locate you, where the hell are you?”_ I chuckled softly. “If she’s not picking up she’s probably in the engine room” I murmured softly before changing direction and heading towards the engine rooms.

I stepped into the hot almost sauna like room and searched around for her quickly. “Alex are you in here?” I received no answer and glanced around again before peering over the edge of the bridge between the engines and started towards the door again. _Must be in her quarters._

I made my way back along the halls and turned down another one before coming to her quarters, I pressed the door lock and waited for a moment as the door slid open before darkness greeted me, I stepped in and heard a soft groan and a mumble of _‘shut the fucking door’_. I slapped the door lock and placed a hand out in front of me as I plunged into complete darkness, even the window on the wall next to the bed and been blocked out with blankets leaving no light penetrating into the room. “Alex?”

She groaned softly. “Fuck off”

I cursed softly as my shin hit the edge of the bed and felt around it before coming across her body curled in a small tight ball under the blankets. “What the hell are you doing lassie?”

A sickening cough racked her body. “Fuck sake,” She choked slightly coughing again. “What the fuck do you want Nick?”

I settled on the edge of the bed and reached out touching her shoulder, her body was shaky. “Can I turn the light on and actually see you?”

“For the love of god no,” She bit out quickly before groaning, I felt her shift and squinted in the darkness barely able to make out the outline of her clutching her head. “Please, just shut up and leave me alone for a while”

“Are you alright?”

“Fucking peachy,” She mumbled and swallowed roughly. “Now did you actually need something or can I go back to sleeping?”

I stalled slightly and reached out placing a hand against her cheek before almost ripping it back. “You’re burning up”

“I’m fine, trust me it’s not life threatening”

I shook my head. “How do you know?”

“Because I do,” She sighed rolling onto her back. “I’m not sick... so to speak”

“Then what’s wrong?”

She fell silent for a moment before shooting up and throwing the blankets off almost jumping from the bed and rushed off out the door. I followed after her and stopped in the doorway of the bathroom as she knelt in front of the toilet and began to throw up whatever was in her stomach, she choked and gagged slightly, a hand weaved through her hair keeping most of it out of the way.

I stepped forward and gathered her hair pulling it back gently before kneeling and rubbing her back, she groaned and spat into the toilet before shuddering and wiping roughly at her mouth. “I’ll radio for TJ...”

“Don’t bother,” She mumbled, eyes barely opened, a light red rimming them. “As I said before I’m not sick”

I released her hair and helped her to stand before she flushed the toilet and turned to the sink rinsing out her mouth for a few moments, her body was still shaking as she washed out the bits from her hair and clutched the sink wavering for a few minutes before hugging one arm around the lower half of her torso, a grimace of pain crossing her face. “Are you sure you don’t need TJ?”

“I’m sure Nick,” She looked into the mirror smiling weakly. “It’s just my body purging itself of all that shit I used to put in it” A cough racked her body and she rubbed at her chest in pain.

“Ah,” I nodded lightly. “Detox”

She laughed roughly and nodded in confirmation. “That’s the one,” She groaned and leant against the sink hugging her torso again. “I got KOed by it... that time of the month too,” She stated before turning and placing a shaky hand against my forearm gripping it lightly. “Be a gentleman and help a chick back to her room”

I chuckled softly and nodded helping keep her stable as she stumbled slightly as we made our way back to her quarters. I helped her back into her bed and gently placed and blanket over her. “Get some rest lassie, I’ll keep Young off your back for a little while” I stood and went to turn away until she grabbed my hand stopping me from leaving.

“Stay”

“Stay?”

She nodded and paused trying to think up an answer. “I could use the company”

I grinned softly and nodded. “Alright but only for a little while otherwise Young will come looking for me”

She nodded and curled into me as I kicked off my shoes and settled on the bed next to her, she was acting almost childish and I couldn’t help but smile slightly and pull her closer, on the outside she might have looked like she was tough and invincible but on the inside she was _human_ just like everyone else was, just like _I_ was.

_“Nicholas wake up”_

_I groaned softly rolling onto my back before throwing my arm over my eyes. “What time is it?”_

_“Eight”_

_“Eight?! Gloria it’s a Sunday let me sleep in”_

_She laughed softly before beginning to poke her long nails into my ribs. “Come on, Bethany and Jake want us to get up and cook some breakfast”_

_I sighed softly, I’d almost forgotten about Gloria’s niece and nephew that were staying here for two weeks while their parents went off on a second honeymoon. “I want to sleep in” I whined._

_She laughed softly at my pathetic whine. “Stop whining Nick and get up, come on I promised them we would all go out to the park after lunch”_

_I uncovered my eyes glaring playfully at my wife before grinning and pulling her down into a hug, our lips touched briefly before we ripped away from each other at the sound of a giggle, both our faces flushed a bright crimson._

_“Ew!” Both Jake and Bethany turned and quickly ran away from the doorway where they’d been standing spying on us._

_A laugh slipped from Gloria’s lips as she slipped off the bed pulling at my hand to try and get me to stand._

_I slowly made my way into the kitchen; Gloria was stood with her back to me, a pan on the stove top and music playing softly through the radio._

_‘You don't know what love is_  
If you think that I can fight this feeling  
Keep my true heart from revealing  
Everything inside  
You don't know what love is  
If you hear me say your mine forever  
Feel our two hearts beat together  
And think you can resist  
You don't know what love is’

_I smiled slightly before pouring a cup of fresh coffee from the machine and taking a seat at the counter to sit and drink my coffee while I read the paper._

_“Auntie Gloria! Jake won’t let me watch the TV” Bethany cried from the living room earning a soft sigh from Gloria as her eyes came to mine._

_“Take care of this” She gestured towards the pan and moved past me into the living room to sort out the two children._

_I focused my eyes back on the paper in front of me before a burning smell met my nose. I shot my head up and curse softly before rushing round to the stove and yanking the pan up off the element to place it on a cold one._

_I hissed between my teeth and cursed louder as my thumb caught the heated edge of the copper pan._

_“Ohhhh... Uncle Nick said a naughty word!” Jake stated loudly as I nursed my burnt thumb._

_Gloria came back in with a smile before taking my hand in hers to survey the damage._

I woke with a slight jolt and looked to my thumb, a small sliver of a scar still present after all these years. I glanced to Alex beside me; she seemed peaceful for now as I stood carefully trying not to wake her.

* * *

I settled back at my console, my headache had eased after my short sleep.

“Hey your back, where’d you go to?” Eli asked as he came in from one of the doorways to my left.

“Bathroom” I stated idly as I ran my eyes across the information on the console.

“Oh, ok cool,” He sat at one of the consoles across from me. “Have you seen Hunter? Young’s looking for her”

“Sleeping the last time I saw her” I glanced up at Matthew, Alex’s 2nd, as he came through the door and stopped looking between the two of us.

“Have either of you seen Alex? Young’s pissing and moaning that he can’t find her”

“In her quarters,” I stated idly before bringing my eyes up to his. “Best leave her be, she’s not feeling well”

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “Let me guess her bodies going through some vicious bitch of a Detox, huh?” He leant against one of the spare consoles. “She’s got a vicious migraine, it stems from the twenty or so cups a day of that black swill she used to call coffee and no doubt from her smoking habit too,” He glanced towards me. “Is she running a fever, sweating, throwing up, bitching about light and sound?”

“Yes”

"Does she have a blood nose yet?"

"No, not when I last saw her at least"

He gave a soft _‘huh’_. “Can’t be that bad yet then,” He murmured. “Just... uh... just leave her be, I’ll go tell Young,” He straightened up slightly. “And trust me it’ll only get worse before it gets better, she’ll wind up with a bleeding nose, sensitivity to light and sound and severe muscle pains too,” He shook his head again. “She’ll be a damn right bitch to anyone who ticks her off in the slightest so steer clear, she’ll come out of the dark when she feels up to it” He turned leaving us alone.

I paused with my hand resting just over the keypad of the console and stared at the screen blankly for a moment before scrubbing my hands over my face. _Maybe I should just go crawl back into bed with Alex, I need the sleep and we’d both enjoy the company._ I groaned mutely and sighed softly before shaking my head and downing some of my water before attempting to get on with my work again.


	18. Entities

**Entities**

=Alex’s P.O.V=

I groaned softly and wiped at the sleep in my eyes before looking towards TJ as she settled on the edge of the bed. “Hey”

“Hey, how’re you feeling today?”

“Like shit still” I mumbled softly sitting up cross legged on the bed before clearing the sticky sleep from the corners of my eyes.

“Did those pain killers help?”

I shook my head and groaned softly. “Not a bit”

“Alright,” She twisted her lips. “Well I’ve got limited things to work with”

“Don’t bother wasting your supplies on me TJ,” I yawned and stretched slightly grimacing at the pain flaring through my aching muscles. “I can fight through this, it’s not my first run with it and I managed to make it last time”

She gave a reluctant nod. “Alright but you tell me if it gets any worse”

“Trust me love it’s going to get worse, _much_ worse and there’s shit all either of us can do”

She sighed softly and nodded. “How are you coping with everything?”

I shrugged lightly. “Coping fine, what about you? You look a bit stressed”

She smiled tiredly and rolled her shoulders. “It’s difficult to keep everyone on this ship healthy with next to no supplies, hopefully the next planet we find after this ice planet will have something we can use on it”

I nodded lightly and leant forward stretching my spine. “I’m sure we’ll find something soon,” I nodded to the grey metal wall beside us. “Destiny knows when we’re in trouble”

She smiled softly. “Yeah, she does doesn’t she?”

“So how’re Young and Scott doing out there on... what the hell was it Eli called it? Hoth?”

TJ nodded and laughed softly. “Yeah, they’re fine, Rush doesn’t want me telling them about what’s going on around here with those... _bugs_ flying around”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah I would air on the side of caution and go with him on that one, Young will want to come back if you tell him and we need as much of that ice as he can get his hands on”

She sighed. “How do you deal with being in charge and making decisions like that Alex? It’s so tiring”

I chuckled softly and rubbed at my temples wishing I hadn’t. “You learn to deal with it, you adjust and adapt to it,” I shrugged lightly. “Some are born to be leaders and others aren’t, we’re each given a calling in life and some of us find it easily where as others don’t; I was born to work with my hands, to dismantle and repair, you, well you’re a damn good doc and a much better bedside manner than some of the docs that have patched me up over the years”

“I’m not a doctor”

“You’re the only one we’ve got Tam, that makes you a doctor in my book, you don’t need a fancy degree to be one, I mean shit that’s just a piece of fucking paper but then again that’s pretty cheap advice coming from a woman with four fancy bits of paper”

She gave a brighter smile and laughed. “Thank you Alex”

“No problem, anytime you need a pep talk come see me” We both gave a laugh and fell into silence for a moment.

“Well I’ve got other patients to see and they should be bringing some ice back soon”

I gave a nod and curled back under my blankets throwing them up over my head in an attempt to sleep again.

* * *

I stumbled slightly into the hall from the bathroom and groaned feeling my guts twisted in a stabbing pain as I started to amble slowly back towards my quarters. _Fucking body, fucking period, why the hell did I have to be the one that gets the vicious pains every month._ Usually I could just grin and bear it but combined with the skull splitting headache I had it made me want to curl up like a baby and cry until it was over and done.

I stalled in the middle of the hall and inhaled slowly before exhaling just as slowly staring at the cloud before me, it was like a million tiny bugs had swarmed together to create one big swarm.

I tightened my arm around my torso at another stab of pain and reached out leaning my palm against the wall briefly before standing up straight again before inhaling sharply and started to breath shallowly as the swarm started slowly towards me.

I stood still and felt a calming warm wash off the swarm before it circled my body and came back in front of me before slowly stretching out to take on the shape of a man, I recognised the outline straight away, it was Rush.

They reached out with an arm, I tried to resist but couldn’t and reached out towards them mirroring their move, the palm I touched was warm and vibrated with each tiny entity, the pain radiating through my body disappeared slowly into nothingness for a moment before ebbing back into my veins. I slowly let my hand fall back to my side before smiling slightly and watched the swarm morph back into a disorganised cloud as the ships comm. Crackled overhead.

“This is Lieutenant Johansen, we have a situation, it’s under control but as a precaution I ask everyone to return to their quarters and remain there until further notice, thank you”

I sighed softly looking back to where the cloud had been a moment ago and found it gone. I shook my head lightly and ambled back towards my room before letting the door slid shut behind me and throw me back into the darkness I’d locked myself away in since I’d first started to feel like shit.


	19. Teaming Up PT1

**Teaming Up PT1**

=Alex’s P.O.V=

I groaned softly, I felt like absolute shit and whoever the hell had been banging on my door for the past five minutes was going to get my fist in their face.

I slammed my hand against the door lock and leant against the wall to see Young stood there. “Christ Young,” I groaned softly and placed my fingers against my temple lightly wincing in pain. “Fuck off”

“It’s Telford”

“Jesus,” I muttered softly. “Just fucking excellent,” I glanced up at him giving him a straight face. “All the same fuck off” I went to shut the doors until he stepped forward blocking them.

“You weren’t at the meeting this morning”

“And I’m sure Young told everyone _why_ ,” I shaded my eyes from the light and straightened up. “Give me ten seconds to throw my kit on” I stated pushing him back a step and shutting the door in his face before sifting around for my jacket and some jeans, I’d relaxed my dress code ever since we’d arrived.

I winced slightly as we headed towards the control interface room. Rush looked up in concern as we entered. “Shouldn’t you still be cooped up in the dark?”

I nodded before throwing an absolutely filthy look at Telford. “Riley,” I stated holding my head before tipping it towards the Kino. “Get rid of it before I scrap it” _I will be so fucking happy when all this bullshits over, I’m totally fucking over this detox and having a fucking period._

He nodded quickly and sent it off in search mode before leaving after it to go back to his duties.

“So what did I miss this morning?” I grumbled daring to look at Telford.

“I have assumed control of Destiny in order to enact the rescue plan put forward by the I.O.A”

 _Just great._ “And what does this involve?”

“Using the ship as a conduit to channel the full energy of a star into the Stargate” Rush stated.

“Good luck,” I snorted softly. “We’ve only just recharged”

“We’ll be draining power so Destiny _needs_ to recharge again”

“You mean force a recharge that could potentially damage the ship even further,” I groused softly keeping one hand shading my eyes as I glared through bleary eyes at the console I’d seated myself at and tapped away with my free hand. “Has this been thought through thoroughly?” I asked settling down holding my head in pain. “I would hate to have to come back from the grave to haunt your sorry arse because you blew us up” I mumbled before glancing between Rush and Telford.

“The only way to gain information is to do a practical run”

“Great, so we get to play guinea pig for your experiment” I bit out swallowing back the bile trying to rise in my throat.

“I would have thought _you_ of all people would have _wanted_ to go home”

“I have no _desire_ to return to earth” I stated glancing sideways at Rush.

“What about everyone else on this ship?”

“They can go home if they _want_. I, however, don’t _want_ to leave Destiny”

“Well you’ll _have_ to come through with everyone else”

I rolled my eyes. “You can’t force me to come back Telford, I would have thought _you_ of all people would have realised that from when I managed to knock you on your fucking arse back on Icarus” I hissed coldly.

“Destiny is under _my_ control Colonel Hunter, not _yours_ ”

“Leave. Now” I snapped pointing towards the doors before groaning softly.

“And here I was hoping you’d address everyone and smooth over any worries they might have had”

I grunted softly resisting the overwhelming urge to deck him one. “If it gets you off my fucking back fine,” I spat forcing myself to stand. “I will go and sooth any worries” I bit out with oozing sarcasm before heading to the mess hall.

* * *

 

“What if the power flow can’t be control?” Riley asked from his spot.

“If there are any dangerous fluctuation we will simply shut it down and allow the ship the continue powering up as usual”

“Early test show it _should_ work” Brody stated sounding uneasy.

“We’re not going to be putting you in _more_ danger than you are already by just being here” Telford stated trying to calm peoples nerves.

“From what I gather, supplies are desperately short”

“And, given the condition of the ship, it could experience a fatal break down at any point”

 _Goddamn, **this** is why they brought me in here, so they can speak the truth and I can calm the hysterical people. _I rolled my eyes stepping forward. “What they mean is that they’re going to _try_ and get us home, if they can’t they stop _immediately_ and allow Destiny to continue on as usual as they go over the data they collect to see where they went wrong”

“Will another practical test be run?”

“At a later date once they’ve sorted the problems out thoroughly” I stated giving the three of them a light glare as they went to talk.

“What’s the worst outcome?”

I glanced at Telford who looked quite smug. “I won’t lie, the worst outcome is that Destiny’s shields fail due to a power overload and she explodes but on the brighter side, if everything goes to plan, as it _supposedly_ should do, then the gate will have enough power to get everyone, that _wants_ to go back, back to earth” I stated before giving Telford my own smug look.

“Alright so what do we have to do?”

“We need to come up with a way to drain power so Destiny _has_ to drop out of FTL to recharge”

I gave a light nod before putting my hand up to my head in pain. “Other than that everyone just needs to carry on as normal,” I stated before looking over the group before me. “If you have any ideas please speak with Telford, McCormack or Williams” I motioned to the three people before giving a nod and leaving.

I headed along the hall back towards the CIR and stalled in the doorway as I found Rush busy at one of the consoles. “Love, what the hell are you doing now?”

He looked up guiltily. “Nothing” He said quickly before tapping at his console.

I cocked an eyebrow up before rounding the console and peering over his shoulder before tapping a few buttons and reading the information. “Interesting,” I winced slightly at a flash of pain through my head and through my guts. “So you and I drew the same conclusion then”

He looked up surprised. “We did?”

I nodded and grimaced holding my head and wishing I hadn’t. “I reckon Destiny will overload and shut down _everything_ when they attempt this pointless exercise; goodbye Destiny, hello big ball of flaming wreckage inside a star” I stated with a slight grin and shrug lightly before feeling dizzy for a brief moment.

Rush frowned and turned towards me. “Go get some more rest,” He murmured placing a hand on my cheek. “You’ll be no use to me if you can’t work”

“So you want my help huh? It’ll cost you,” I grimaced in pain again. “But that’s a minor detail we can work out once I’m up to scratch again”

“Aye lassie,” He motioned the door. “Go, we can talk later when I come and see you”

“Alright love, have fun”

“Oh I will”

I chuckled softly and shaded my eyes again before dragging my sorry ass back towards my quarters in the hopes of getting some more sleep.


	20. Teaming Up PT2

** Teaming Up PT2 **

=Rush’s P.O.V=

 “You’re stalling” Telford snapped as he entered the control interface room with Williams and McCormack.

“I’m doing things the way they should be done” I stated clutching the radio.

“We’ve isolated power to forty percent of the operation weapons system,” Williams stated. “It should be good enough to give us a read out on our power reduction capabilities”

I shook my head glancing out the side of my eye as Telford leant closer. “The next time we drop out of FTL” He stated with a dangerous hint in his tone.

 _I need to get Alex up._ “Destiny is old and damaged. The consoles don’t register _half_ the thing they _should_. I want _manual_ confirmation before activating _any_ system that complex”

“Over eighty percent of the ship is _inaccessible_ without spacesuits right now. With only two suits doing it _your_ way it will take _months_ ”

I glanced up with a light glare. “If that’s what it takes then that’s what it takes” I snapped firmly signalling the end of the conversation.

“Doctor Rush we’re ready”

I looked down to the console before me. “Sending power through now,” I hit the OK and watched the hallway fill with a green light before switching to a red, the console beeping at me. _Shit._ “There’s a problem, the powers backing up in the link” I stated, fear settling in the pit of my stomach.

“Shut it down”

“I’m trying,” I stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s not working”

“The problem is contained; it’s restricted to that corridor”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s not the point” I snapped before trying to work out a solution.

“How big of an explosion are we talking about?”

I disregarded Telford’s question. _They’re on the hull, shit, shit, shit._ My mind chanted over and over again as I attempted to redirect the power to no avail.

“Rush!”

“We’re in FTL and they’re on the hull, if it punctures the hull and disrupts the shield for even a microsecond the entire ship could be in jeopardy” I stressed before attempting to redirect the power away from the hallway again.

“Rush get TJ now! Riley’s been injured” Brody called over the radio.

I glared up at Telford. “I’m on my way,” I stated before standing and rushing out of the room. “Lieutenant Johansen this is Rush, I need you to head to the corridor Brody and Riley were working on, Riley’s been injured” I stood quickly and headed towards Alex’s room.

* * *

=Alex’s P.O.V=

I sat up and groaned softly rubbing at the back of my neck, I felt a hell of a lot better now after my short sleep, my head didn’t hurt as bad as it had and I wasn’t sensitive to the light or sound anymore.

“Alex?”

“Hmmm?” I looked up to see Rush in the doorway and sighed heavily seeing the look on his face. “What happened now?”

“Riley got injured”

I sat up straighter. “How?”

“Trying to fix a coolant leak”

“Goddamn it, why on earth was he trying to fix it?” I asked crossing my legs under the blanket.

“Telford wants to drain power using the weapons systems”

At that I sat up straighter and quickly stood grabbing my jacket before throwing it on. “Come on, I want to check on Riley first _then_ I want to go bitch at Telford for being an arsehole”

He nodded following beside me as we headed towards the infirmary.

* * *

“TJ?” The blonde haired medic looked up as I called her name.

“Hey,” She tried to smile. “What’s up? Need something for the pain?”

I shook my head lightly. “Rush,” I nodded to the man at my side. “Just told me about Riley, is he alright?”

“It’s touch and go right now but as long as his condition doesn’t worsen he should pull through just fine”

I gave a light nod looking towards Riley. “Any idea where Telford is?”

She cocked an eyebrow up in question. “Why do you want Colonel Telford?”

“So I can bitch him out about this shit with the weapons systems”

Her lips quirked in a light smile. “He should be either in the control interface room or the gate room with Williams and McCormack”

I gave a nod. “Alright, keep me updated on how Riley’s going,” I stated before turning and nodding towards Rush. “Come on”

He followed beside me before I stalled in the hallway, my stomach growling lowly at me. “Ok, change of plan, food first then I bitch at Telford”

He chuckled softly before nodding as we changed course for the mess hall. We walked in silence until our knuckles brushed lightly, I couldn’t help but look at him and smile lightly. “So _why_ was Riley working on the system anyway?”

“I want manual confirmation before we fire up the weapons system”

“Fair enough, if there’s a leak that we don’t patch up it could spell hell for us”

“Exactly, if we over look something it could jeopardize Destiny and if something punctures the hull or shield we’d be ripped to pieces” We stepped into the mess hall and settled down at one of the spare tables.

“Hey darlin’ you’re looking better”

I glanced up at Matty as I took a seat across from Rush. “Feel better too love, give me another few hours and I’ll be right as rain” I watched him leave before turning back to Rush so we could talk about the weapons systems and what needed doing to them.

“We’re proceeding with the weapons test the next time we drop out of FTL” Telford stated as he stopped beside us.

“Colonel, the man nearly _died_ ”

“ _You’re_ the one that put him at risk”

“I was trying to make sure _you_ didn’t _kill_ us all” Rush retorted quickly.

“I’m not going to”

“Alright,” Rush said. “ _I_ accept responsibility for what happened but _you_ forced the situation. Activating the weapons systems the way _you_ want is completely idiotic and reckless” He snapped.

“Come on Rush,” Telford was going to try and sway him. “These people are in danger by just _being_ here, proven by what just happened,” He stated. “This ship is falling apart; they’re the wrong people for this, we _need_ to get them home”

“Yes and what happens if we _don’t_ check the systems manually and something punctures in an area we can’t get to fast enough?” I asked glancing up at Telford; he had no answer for me. “Destiny and _everyone_ on board would be screwed,” I snarled darkly before moving to stand. “I have a _duty_ to _protect_ the lives of _everyone_ on board this ship and the only reason I _haven’t_ decked you yet is because you’re using Young’s body, if I had the chance I would damn well have you on the floor right now” I seethed standing tall, the mess hall was silent as everyone watched us stand toe to toe with each other.

“You’re out of line” He growled lowly.

“And _you’re_ putting everyone in danger; Doctor Rush knows Destiny better than you and better than anyone else on her, I would take his advice, you’re not the one who has to live on this ship, _you_ can leave _any_ time you want” Telford had managed to get so far under my skin it wasn’t funny.

“Lieutenant, escort Colonel Hunter to lock down”

I glared towards Scott. “I might still be recovering from my detox but you know _exactly_ what will happen if you lay a hand on me” I snapped hotly and watched as he backed up a step.

“Are you refusing an order lieutenant?”

“No, he doesn’t want to be laid out by me,” I stated coldly before turning away from Telford. “Just remember that _you_ can _leave_ anytime you want Telford, _we_ can’t” I stated motioning towards everyone in the room that was settled down watching us before I turned and strode out of the room, a fire burning within that I needed to settle.

* * *

“Alex, Rush wanted me to find you, Telford’s going to start dialing soon”

I sighed heavily and nodded slowly standing; I’d been watching the space around us from the observation deck, watching all the guns fire and hoping to hell it didn’t all turn south.

“You don’t look impressed”

“I’m not,” I groused coldly and straightened up stretching slightly and rolled my shoulders slightly as we started towards the gate room. “This feels all wrong; I mean if we breech the shield we won’t have a second chance we’ll get ripped apart within a few seconds and inside that star there’s too many variables, there’s too many things that could go wrong,” I sighed heavily brushing back a few strands of hair before tugging my hair tie off my wrist and throwing my hair up into a low pony tail before twisting it into a messy bun and fixing it in place. “Let’s just get this over and done with and hope it doesn’t all turn to cock and shit”

Matty tugged on my wrist lightly stopping us in the middle of the hall. “What aren’t you telling me?”

I chuckled softly and gave him a weak smile. “If you can tell I’m hiding something you know me far to fucking well”

He gave me a deadpan look. “I’ve known you since fucking forever Alex, now spill”

I shook my head lightly and gave him a small grin. “Just trust me when I say everything will be fine”

He frowned in confusion and tagged along beside me until we reached the gate room. “So what now?”

“Now I play Colonel and protect these people,” I answered before stepping forward and heading towards the consoles and gave a loud sharp whistle drawing everyone’s attention. “Alright, I want all military personnel with guns to take them out of here now, if this room heats up too much the bullet _will_ go off, so guns out now”

“Diverting power flow to the Stargate, ready to attempt dialing” Williams stated looking to Telford for confirmation.

Our eyes locked for a moment. “Do it” He stated turning towards the Stargate as it began to groan and spin.

The first chevron locked and the second followed suit, by the time we reached the third the gate was sparking, arcs of power moving from Destiny to it.

“Get away from the gate! Don’t get near it!” I called out pushing people back from the gate with the help of Scott and TJ.

“You’re going to overload the capacitors” Brody called looking at his console.

“Bringing power flow down”

The next chevron locked in, more arcs of power brighter than before still hit the gate.

“Limitations are _not_ holding”

“The system wasn’t designed to hold this much power”

I felt a brief wave of heat and let out a calming breath as another passed. I glanced around the room at the panicked people before exhaling another calming breath. “Everyone stay calm,” I shouted out putting my hands up. “Keep away from the gate and try and stay as calm as possible”

“The shield is failing!” Rush called out as another wave of heat washed over us.

I turned and headed towards Telford where he was stood with the others. “Shut it down!” I stated to his two scientists.

“What the hell are you doing Hunter?”

“Protect these people and this ship,” I snapped back at Telford before looking pointedly at his two scientists. “I said shut it the hell down, our shield gets breeched and we’re all fucked”

“It’s not working”

“I thought you said you could stop it?” Telford asked as he rounded the console to look for himself before sharing a look with Williams and McCormack.

 _I know that damn look, he’s going to cut and run._ I narrowed my eyes. _Prick._ “That’s it, you know what fuck you Telford, as of right now _I_ am in command of Destiny,”I turned to Rush. “Figure out how to shut it down before it does anymore damage”

“That’s not your call”

“ _You’re_ not even fucking here,” I spat before rounding one of the consoles. “Brody go” I murmured lightly towards the engineer before taking over the console as he took the radio from my hand and rushed after Telford and his two scientists.

I moved my fingers swiftly over the buttons of the console and gave a nod to Rush before he hit a few buttons on his own. I exhaled slowly leaning against the console and rubbed at the skin on my neck before turning towards Rush as he came over. “Thank you for your help”

“Not a problem love,” I rubbed at the sweat on my neck again. “Maybe just a little too much heat though”

He chuckled before nodding towards the group. “Shall we?”

I gave a nod before giving a sharp whistle calling everyone attention. “Everyone come over here!” I nodded to Rush. “Doctor Rush will explain everything,” I turned to Young as he stepped over to my side. “You and I need to head to home world command and smooth this shit over with them”

“We can do it tomorrow once everything has calmed down,” He murmured nudging me towards a corner away from everyone. “So am I to assume you and Rush set all this up?”

“Everett I ran over the numbers and everything _myself,_ it was _never_ going to work, I couldn’t let them put everyone including Destiny in danger”

He paused for a moment and gave a nod. “I trust your judgement Alex,” He exhaled and rubbed at the sweat on his skin. “So just how close did we come?”

I chuckled softly shaking my head. “Not anywhere as close as what you’re thinking, I managed to gain control of some of Destiny’s life support controls, put the heating on a timer,” I shrugged lightly. “Bit of realism is always fun”

He chuckled lightly. “A bit of warning would be nice next time”

I grinned softly before looking towards Rush, a small smile on his lips over the fact his plan had worked.


	21. A Heated Moment

** A Heated Moment **

=Alex’s P.O.V=

I yawned as I woke, my body lagging from lack of coffee, I was thankful that my body had decided to try and purge itself in the form of one massive son of a bitch of a detox, sure it had hurt like a fucking bitch but I felt a hell of a lot better now.

I made my way slowly up the corridor towards the control interface room and plugged my ears with my earbuds before scrolling through the songs on my phone trying to find something to listen to. I settled for _Der Meister_ by Rammstein and looked up before stalling in the doorway to the CIR, I couldn’t help the small smile that crept to my lips, Rush was asleep at his console, arms folded head resting lightly on them.

_Lauft!_   
  
_Weil der Meister uns gesandt_   
_verkünden wir den Untergang_   
_der Reiter der Boshaftigkeit_   
_füttert sein Geschwür aus Neid_

I took a seat at one of the consoles and settled down resting my cheek on my fist as I started to work, if I couldn’t sleep I might as well continue to keep myself active instead of staring at imaginary shapes in the darkness of my quarters. I stared at the screen humming softly as I made another crack at the lock out code for the main systems.

_Die Wahrheit ist wie ein Gewitter_   
_es kommt zu dir du kannst es hören_   
_es kund zu tun ist ach so bitter_   
_es kommt zu dir um zu zerstören_

I checked the time and rubbed at the kink in my neck. _Three in the morning, goddamn I need to get some proper sleep._ I glanced at Rush and then back at my console before I picked up my phone and grinned softly snapping a picture of him sleeping. _Well at least it will give me something new to sketch later on._ I placed the phone back on the console and sighed gently before focusing back on the screen before me.

_Weil die Nacht im Sterben lag_   
_verkünden wir den jüngsten Tag_   
_es wird kein Erbarmen geben_   
_lauft, lauft um euer Leben_

I shifted in my seat and stretched slightly before finally giving up on the master code and opted for sifting through what controls we actually had trying to figure out a way of making living on Destiny a bit easier.

_Die Wahrheit ist ein Chor aus Wind_   
_kein Engel kommt um euch zu rächen_   
_diese Tage eure letzten sind_   
_wie Stäbchen wird es euch zerbrechen_

I ran my eyes over the information being poured onto the screen and tried to sift through it the best I could, a lot of it was to do with the consoles and various things to do with other compartments, I rubbed at my temple before bringing up the map and checking out what area’s were accessible to us and what was still unavailable before cross checking the list with the various other compartments on another list.

_Es kommt zu euch als das Verderben_

_Die Wahrheit ist ein Chor aus Wind_   
_kein Engel kommt um euch zu rächen_   
_diese Tage eure letzten sind_   
_wie Stäbchen wird es euch zerbrechen_

I glanced over at Rush as he began to stir and tugged my earbuds out of my ears before grinning softly at him. “Morning”

He looked over before clearing his eyes and groaned softly sitting up straighter. “How long have I been asleep?”

I shrugged. “You were out like a light when I got here”

“Why the hell didn’t you wake me?”

I stood and tucked my phone away into my pocket and stepped towards him. “Because you need some sleep, if you kill yourself with exhaustion I’d be left on my lonesome to deal with everything,” I laughed softly stepping behind him and placed my hands on his shoulders slightly before dipping down to his ear. “Don’t think I could handle that,” I murmured before slowly beginning to knead the muscles of his shoulders. “You need to relax love”

“Relax? How the hell am I supposed to relax when Young has everyone running around touching every goddamn button and lever they can get their mitts on?” He snapped lightly before tipping his head back to look up at me.

I grinned softly taking the opportunity to steal a kiss from his lips before working at the knots throughout his shoulders, a soft groan coming from him as I started to work at a knot at the apex of his neck and shoulder, he slowly relaxed back as I worked the heel of my palm into the tense knotted muscle, he tipped his head forward and sighed softly relaxing even further under my ministrations before slowly getting back to work or at least attempting to.

He winced and jerked his shoulder away from my touch before wrapping his hands around my wrists and turning to face me before tugging me closer. “Come on”

“Where’re we going?”

He stayed silent as he stood and tugged me along the hall before stopping outside one of the compartments we very rarely ever used, he pressed the door lock and looked around inside for a moment before beckoning me in.

I arched an eyebrow in curiosity and stepped inside to the room that was stacked from floor to ceiling with ancient containers, I turned as the door’s slid shut and the small light above the lock slid from green to red. “What the hell are...” I never got to finish my sentence as his mouth covered mine, I grunted softly as my back hit one of the stacks of boxes rocking them slightly.

I shivered at the cool breeze that swept across my abdomen as one of his hands snaked under my tank top and began inching towards my jeans. I moaned softly and swallowed roughly, I couldn’t deny it was indeed very much a turn on when Rush decided he wanted to be in charge for a change, it certainly did make for some interesting sex.

I arched slightly away from the boxes and pressed myself against him as he tugged at my belt letting my jeans sag. I nudged my jeans down and turned around gripping one of the boxes as Rush fumbled slightly with his own jeans in his slight hurry to get them undone.

I choked on my moan as he thrust into me and pressed back against him savouring the full feeling I had, his finger tips dug into my hips before roaming up to my waist as he slowly pulled out and thrust back in. I arched slightly moving with him, fingers sore from my tight grip around the edge of the box.

“Fuck” I panted softly clenching my eyes shut at the spike of pleasure that ran like fire through my veins and shifted slightly trying to keep myself standing; I inhaled sharply, my breath catching in my throat as I shuddered as one of his hands left my waist and wound down between my legs rubbing at my clit.

I tightened my grip around the edge of the box and thrust back against him with a quick jerk of my hips, my nerves becoming raw the more he teased me. I gave a soft whining gasp as pleasure shot through my veins and felt my body shake slightly, my grip weakening slightly before tightening quickly as another thrust brought me to the edge, a scream choked in my throat as another swipe across my clit tipped me, my body tensing as my heart raced in my chest.

I heard the almost feral growl come from Rush and grinned softly as he leant forward, one hand wrapped over mine as his body pressed against mine. “Morning wood huh?” I grinned glancing towards him and tried to steady my breathing with a few calming breaths.

A smirk tugged at his lips. “Your fault, that bloody massage”

I laughed softly. “Yeah blame me, always my fault you get horny,” I shook my head lightly tugging my jeans back up and fixed them back into place before smoothing back a few strands of hair. “Now come on, I can hear your bed calling from here” I gave him a lopsided smile and started towards the door.

 


	22. The First Kino

** The First Kino **

=Alex’s P.O.V=

I stood with the others as Eli plugged in the Kino and started to download the footage before playing it, I frowned slightly before taking another at the Kino to find it was indeed us on the footage. I glanced towards Rush and cocked an eyebrow up looking for a possible explanation only to receive a small shrug in return. I turned my attention back to the footage and leant against the edge of the wall just to Eli right; I couldn’t help but feel a small wave of déjà-vu sweep over me.

_“How are we supposed to know what's safe to eat?” Chloe queried looking down at all the fruits and nuts gathered on the tarpaulin._

_“Truth is we can’t know for sure until we try some or figure out some sort of test we can run on them” Alex said before kneeling down and picking up one of the fruits turning it over in her hand before letting it roll back onto the tarpaulin._

_“What’s that saying? ‘A starving man...’” Eli trailed off as he squatted and ran his eyes over the fruits before picking up one at random and stood biting into it, he chewed it for a moment before stopping and turning and spitting it out quickly, a small chuckle rising through the group._

_“Maybe it wasn’t ripe”_

_“Try it” Eli threw the half eaten fruit to Scott who caught it out in instinct immediately turned and threw it away._

_“Uh no... no thanks”_

_Eli wiped at his mouth before turning and kneeling to pick up another piece of fruit._

_“You’ve just exposed yourself now” Rush stated grabbing his wrist and pushing his hand away._

_“Come on, seriously?”_

_“Yeah”_

_“If you had a reaction we wouldn’t know which one caused it” TJ explained looking up at him before the group glanced over at Brody as he appeared from the bushes._

_“Uh, Volker just puked”_

I shifted slightly against the wall and folded my arms just under my breasts before trying to think through all my knowledge of Stargate’s and how they worked to come up with some reasonable explanation as to what we were seeing.

_Eli started to dial the gate, both Alex and TJ moved quickly towards Scott. “That’s not your call Lieutenant,” Alex called before looking to TJ. “We can’t head back to Destiny”_

_“She’s right; if it’s something they got here it could be contagious”_

_“So what are we supposed to do?”_

_“Wait it out,” Alex answered. “We’ve got what?”_

_“Thirty six hours” TJ looked towards her._

_“Exactly, until Destiny jumps back into FTL, if whatever this is, is contagious the cure might be around here somewhere and we can’t risk bringing whatever it is back aboard until we’re sure”_

_Scott looked between both women before giving a nod. “So we wait here? For what?”_

_“See how this plays out” TJ explained before the Kino floated towards Rush, a disapproving scowl on his lips before he slapped the Kino away from him._

I grinned softly towards Rush who scowled back in return before I turned my attention away from him and swept my eyes over the photos about Eli’s Kino control desk before looking towards Young, he glanced up with a questioning look, a confused silence passing between the two of us as well as everyone else.

_The Kino camera zoomed in towards Rush and TJ standing together just to the side of the gate._

_“You must have **some** suspicions, I’ve seen you giving them shots” Rush snapped lightly at the blonde haired medic._

_“I started them both on high doses of antibiotics. I hate to waste it but given the symptoms of headache, fever and neck pain, it's better to be safe than sorry” TJ sighed softly._

_“Ok, so what is it? Bacterial meningitis?”_

_“I don’t know,” TJ turned her attention towards the trees to their left before looking back at Rush. “But if it turns out that’s what it is and I haven’t done anything they could die quickly”_

_“You don’t know,” The Scot was losing his temper. “You’re using up all our antibiotics on a hunch?”_

_“Yes, that was my judgement call”_

_Rush gave an aggravated sigh. “That’s great”_

I glanced towards Rush and then back at the Kino footage before shifting and trying to relieve the dull ache that had entered my hip from leaning on the corner of the wall for too long.

_Rain poured down on the group, Eli and Rush were underneath a tarpaulin together trying to keep as much of the rain off them as possible, Alex stood just in front of them with her fatigue jacket done up tight and collar turned up with her back to rain as she scanned the darken area around them before glaring at the Kino and flicking it away with her fingers._

_“Well this couldn’t get much worse”_

_“I’m afraid that’s a failure of imagination”_

_The Kino raised up a little over their heads to show the entire area, most of the military personnel were stood a few feet apart on guard, the others all huddled in groups trying to keep warm._

_“Top five desert Island movies,” Rush turned to give Eli a deadpan look. “What? It’ll help pass the time”_

_Rush turned away and shook his head lightly before looking up at Alex for help, she grinned softly and shook her head before shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her Steyr Aug clutched in her hand before her attention was drawn towards Scott as he called out for TJ before she turned and headed towards them._

_“James is not doing well”_

_“Where is she?” TJ queried._

_“How many does that make now?”_

_TJ turned towards Rush. “Uh, that’s Chloe, Volker, Marsden and Franklin”_

_“Now James too”_

_TJ paused and looked towards Scott. “Wait a minute; let me look at your eyes”_

_“No, I’m fine”_

_“No you’re not, you need a shot too”_

_Everyone turned at the sound of some sort of animal chittering and then a scream, the Kino turned towards it showing Brody with some sort of animal trying to burrow through his chest before gunfire filled the air as the military personnel opened fire at random directions._

_A bullet clipped the Kino causing it to fall before something hit it making it roll; it rocked for a moment before steadying and showing Chloe also with one of the creature’s burrowing through her chest._

Eli paused the footage, a silence fell over the room before Chloe shot up and rushed out with her hand over her mouth, TJ following suit after her. “Ok,” Eli slowly turned to face us. “What the fuck just happened?”

“That’s what I’d like to know” Young stated looking at the image before looking towards me and then Rush.

“Your guess is as good as mine on that one Young” I murmured frowning slightly before looking towards Rush.

“Oh! What about an alternate reality?” Eli queried looking towards Rush as he tipped his head down looking thoughtful for a moment.

“Sir, given the illness that developed on this planet I suggest we quarantine everyone that went through to retrieve these Kino’s”

Young glanced up for a moment. “So that’s Hunter, Scott, Greer, Eli and Rush”

“And everyone they came in contact with _since_ returning”

“Well that’d be nearly everyone on the ship” I sighed shifting before leaning back against the wall again and crossed my ankles over each other.

“We were only there for, like, a half hour at the most”

“It’s more than enough time to come in contact with a contagion”

“No, wait; you’re worry because people got sick on this recording, which _never_ happened”

“Well we don’t know that”

I glanced towards Rush and raised an eyebrow slightly in question. “Elaborate that thought genius; some of us aren’t on the same wave length yet”

He glanced towards me before motioning to the footage. “Well, that is clearly us, the recording happened somehow”

I turned my head towards the ground trying to think through what could have happened. “That wormhole looked unstable, unstable wormholes are dangerous at the best of times”

“Exactly” We shared a look for a moment before Eli fast forwarded the footage to the next morning.

_“Chloe’s dead” Eli’s face was tired and raw from crying. “James, Spencer...” he paused for a moment screwing his face up trying to concentrate. “Uh... Marsden, Brody and... and Colonel Hunter are all dead,” The Kino spazed for a moment before Eli shook it. “Something’s wrong with the gate, Rush...” He paused looking somewhere behind him. “Uh Rush doesn’t think we can risk using it even with what’s happened,” He tore off a strip of duct tape. “We can’t reach Destiny on radio either so apparently we’re trapped here, there’s twenty two hours until Destiny jumps back into FTL,” He tore off another strip of duct tape trying to fix the Kino to a helmet. “The creatures seem to be nocturnal, they stopped coming once the sun came up, hopefully the gate will start working again before dark,” he tore off another strip fixing it to the Kino. “Apparently we don’t have much ammunition left”_

I paused slightly and glanced towards the footage, when he’d said I’d died I’d almost had to do a double take, part of me was curious as to what got me and the other angry that I’d been taken down.

_“Volker wasn’t killed by the creatures,” Eli pulled back a blanket covering Volker. “TJ says he died of the illness during the night,” He stood and turned before the Kino landed on Rush, he was on his knees beside Alex’s body, fingers laced through hers with his head down, his face shadowed by his damp hair. “Uh... the Colonel... Alex...” He paused taking a steady breath. “She was hit by a stray bullet, it... it caught the side of her neck,” His voice dropped lower. “Rush... Rush stayed with her until she passed,” He almost sounded close to tears. “He hasn’t left her since, I think it cut him up pretty bad, I don’t think he’s got many friends, I mean she must have been like his only friend on Destiny”_

_“Eli!” Rush snapped glaring at the boy, his eyes raw and hands covered in blood._

_Eli backed up a step. “Sorry,” He murmured. “But this could be important...”_

_“Who do you think is ever going to see it?” Franklin snapped._

I looked away from the footage and turned my eyes towards the ceiling exhaling slowly before a comforting hand landed on my shoulder, I glanced back to see Scott and nodded lightly before taking a quick look at Rush, his face was unmoved but his eyes and mind were trying to work through something. I looked away before turning my attention back to the Kino and exhaled again trying to steady myself for whatever the hell was next to come.


	23. Heartfelt Message

** Heartfelt Message **

=Alex’s P.O.V=

By the time Eli plugged the second Kino in I was beginning to get another sense of déjà-vu, we also had a pretty good understanding of what happened on the planet and about the nocturnal creepy crawly squid like chest bursting creatures _and_ that Rush’s journey through the unstable wormhole had ended badly for him.

“So who wants to take bets on what will be on this Kino?” I queried glancing around the small group.

“Maybe it’ll be something useful,” TJ gave a slight smile. “Like a way to help with whatever it is that made everyone sick”

I gave a nod before shifting from my position against the wall and tried to get comfortable again before Eli hit play to reveal a Kino of us watching the footage we’d just watched. “Ok, do me a favour and skip through that, I’m not particularly keen to see my own dead body again”

Eli glanced back and gave a quick nod before skipping through to see if there was anything new.

_“Colonel’s Young, Hunter, Doctor Rush” TJ entered the room again before beckoning them to follow her and led them to the infirmary before motioning towards one of the scopes._

_Rush sat down before taking a look at the slide and frowned. “What is it?”_

_“Some sort of micro organism”_

_“Something you picked up back on the planet?” Young queried._

_“Not the planet they just went to but the one you and Lieutenant Scott when too, the ice planet”_

_“Hang on that was weeks ago, are you sure?”_

_TJ looked towards Alex and nodded before Rush looked up from the microscope. “This is a sample of the water we’ve been drinking, isn’t it?”_

_TJ gave a weary smile. “When people outside of the quarantine started showing up with symptoms I knew we needed to look for another common source”_

_Rush sunk down slightly in the chair before Alex rested a hand on his shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze._

_“But we tested it at the time”_

_“At the time we couldn’t see it, the microscope wasn’t powerful enough and the organism just too small”_

_“Well it isn’t now”_

_TJ looked around the group. “It’s possible that a batch of water wasn’t purified properly and it contaminated the rest”_

_“So we’ve all got it?”_

_“Well, everyone's immune system is different, the time it takes for symptoms to emerge will vary but once it's strong enough to pass from the blood to the nervous system, it works fast and the antibiotics won't cut it” TJ explained before leaning back against the desk._

_“Well for a moment there I thought we were in trouble”_

_Alex’s lips curved slightly in a small impish grin before she shook her head lightly and leant back against the table behind her._

I couldn’t help but mirror my alternates actions and grinned before shaking my head lightly as I moved my eyes towards Rush who threw me a soft almost unnoticeable grin before we turned our attention back to the Kino footage.

_“What just happened?” Eli queried trying to wrap his head around the footage he’d just seen._

_Both Rush and Alex shared a look before answering almost simultaneously. “It went back in time” Rush turned and quickly walked off._

_“What are you doing?” Young called after him._

_“Making sure it hasn’t happened yet” He called over his shoulder before both Young and Alex turned and followed after him._

_They stepped into the gate room as Rush grabbed one of the remotes and started to dial the Stargate out._

_“ **What** hasn’t happened?” Eli queried stopping beside him._

_“A solar flare” Alex answered stepping round to the front of the console and leaning against it clasping her hands together as she looked to Eli._

_“Exactly, it’s the only explanation”_

_Eli looked at Rush hoping for him to explain it further before looking helplessly at Alex. “My understanding is that if a wormhole passes too close to a star and passes through an active solar flare it can jump either forwards or backwards in time, the length of time can vary from seconds to millennia,” She explained. “In some cases the wormhole can actually loop back around and connect to itself but in a different time, in this case the past,” She looked to Rush. “That sounds about right doesn’t it?”_

_He looked up and nodded to her._

_“Whoa, ok, this is starting to make my brain hurt...” He paused before grinning. “Oh my god, it’s back to the future”_

_Alex laughed and shook her head lightly before grinning. “I was thinking more along the lines of Doctor Who without the madman and his big blue box”_

_Both of Eli and Alex shared a look and a brief grin._

Eli looked back towards me. “You like Doctor Who?”

“What can I say?” I queried and grinned softly. “I’m a big fan of Doctor Who”

“Original or new series?”

“Both, but I have to admit ten is my doctor”

We shared a silent fan moment before turning back to the footage.

_Rush was sat on the stairs in the gate room, his eyes resting on the inactive Stargate at the end of the room, Alex standing near him leaning against the railing, she grimaced in pain before shifting and rubbing at her neck._

_“Are you alright?”_

_“Fine, just... stiff” She murmured trying to find the right words as she massages a spot in her neck._

_He looked up at her before standing and pressing a hand against her cheek. “Go see TJ” The concern was clear in his voice._

_She looked up at him for a moment before nodding and pushing herself off the railing, she stumbled and grabbed hold of one of the consoles before Rush rushed around to her side and grabbed her arm, the Kino followed along behind them as he help her towards the infirmary._

_TJ looked over at the two of them and gave a weak smile before motioning to a bed. “Sit down,” She stated towards them and quickly rushed over as Alex dropped to the ground and looked to Rush. “Her immune system must still be weak from that detox her body put her through, help me get her onto a bed”_

_The two of them hauled Alex onto a bed, the woman in question giving a soft groan of pain before looking to TJ. “Don’t bother with the meds, give them to someone else”_

_The medic stalled for a moment giving her a pained look before nodding softly and placing the syringe down again before turning towards James as she stumbled in with Lisa’s help._

_The Kino moved slowly around the room before landing on Rush and Alex, his hand wrapped around hers, body hunched forward as he talked to her in a low whisper before gently kissing her knuckles._

I shifted against the wall, Young’s eyes coming up to mine as he took note of the gesture Rush had shown on the footage, he moved his eyes towards Rush in question and all I could do was offer a small shrug before the footage drew my attention again.

_Rush looked up at the Kino, tears in his eyes as he tried to calm himself. “Alex just passed away; TJ thinks her immunity was compromised by that detox she had a few weeks back...” He trailed off with his head down and took a few deep calming breaths. “I have something I need to say; hell I know she’ll never hear it now but still...”_

“Uh, Eli,” I motioned to the footage. “Skip forward,” I glanced back at Rush. “Whatever he’s about to say I don’t think _he_ wants everyone to know” I jerked my thumb towards Rush.

Eli looked between us for a moment before giving a soft _‘oh’_ and nodded quickly skipping forward several frames until the footage changed.

Both Rush and I shared a look, I was curious as to what he’d said and obviously he was too.

_The Kino slowly moved around the gate room showing a group gearing up, Young included, he turned to look back at Scott. “We don’t need liabilities Scott”_

_“I’m good to go sir”_

_Eli was stood waiting for the Kino footage to come through. “Getting Kino visuals... It’s night time and, oh hey, surprise, surprise, it’s raining”_

_“Which means those things will probably be out”_

_“Well that’s too bad; they were easy pickings when they were sleeping in their nests during the day”_

_“We can’t wait” Young stated as he tugged on a backpack._

_“According to the time stamp on the recording, you have an hour until the first team lost contact because of the solar flare”_

_“Forty five minutes to be safe” Rush countered._

_“How many do you think we’ll need?”_

_TJ looked up and twisted her hands in worry. “Hopefully a small dosage of the venom will do it”_

_“Dead or Alive?” Scott queried._

_“Alive preferable, I can’t exactly anticipate the physiology”_

_“Good luck” Rush called out before the team stepped through the gate._

I shifted slightly and stretched popping the vertebrae in my spine, my muscles beginning to become sore the longer I stood around in one position.

I looked towards Young as he straightened up. “Scott get a team together, you’re going through to the planet,” Both Scott and Greer nodded and broke away before headed towards the gate room. Young looked towards Rush and I and then to Eli. “Let’s give them a minute Eli”

Eli looked back at us before jumping up. “Yeah, sure, you know how to work the Kino right?”

I gave a nod before taking his seat as Rush shut the door over leaving us in silence. I glanced back at him and received a nod as I wound the footage back and pressed play.

_Rush looked up at the Kino, tears in his eyes as he tried to calm himself. “Alex just passed away; TJ thinks her immunity was compromised by that detox she had a few weeks back...” He trailed off with his head down and took a few deep calming breaths. “I have something I need to say; hell I know she’ll never hear it now but still...” He looked away and scrubbed his hands over his face. “There’s so many bloody things I should have said to you lassie,” He paused. “Like thank you and... and that you’re amazing, and smart, and beautiful,” He rushed out before choking on another wave of tears that fell down his cheeks. “Shit,” He wiped furiously at his tears. “I... I wanted us to be more than just friends, more than just a quick shag,” His hands shook slightly. “I never told you how much you bloody mean to me,” He paused and looked up at the Kino, his eyes raw and filled with tears. “Alex I... I think I loved you,” His voice was shaky. “And now I’ve missed my chance to tell you or even make a go of it with you,” He broke down crying again. “Come back to me Alex, please, I don’t want to be here without you, this journey won’t be the same without you” He exhaled heavily before wiping at his eyes and began to rub at his neck in pain before switching the Kino off._

I let the footage run for a moment as I tried to absorb exactly what he’d said, I paused the footage and turned slowly to face Rush before looking up at him. “Did you mean it?”

He stalled and swallowed roughly before nodding. “Yes”

“Truly? Everything that was said you meant?” I queried. “You feel all that right now?”

He inhaled sharply before nodding unsurely; the uncertainty was clear in his eyes, he wasn’t sure if it was the right answer to give. “Yes, I meant it all and I do feel it”

I stood slowly and stepped towards him before curling my arms around his neck and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. “Good to know”

He visibly relaxed and wrapped his arms around my waist tugging me closer. “Let’s delete it, I don’t really need Eli or someone else finding out about it”

I nodded and grinned softly before turning back towards the footage and wiped his confession from its memory before we both started out the door.


	24. Psych Eval

** Psych Eval **

=Alex’s P.O.V=

“Colonel!” I turned at the call and started walking backwards as I waited for TJ to catch up to me. “Do you have a moment?”

I shrugged lightly as I turned around again. “I guess, why?”

“Young wants me to do a psych eval on everyone”

“Ah...” I groaned softly. “Well let’s go get it over and done with then”

“Really?” She stalled in surprise.

“The sooner I get it done the sooner I get back to work, _that_ lovely will please Rush to no end”

She smiled and motioned towards a room next to the infirmary, I followed after her and took a seat on one of the couches before she settled down across from me and opened up her folder. “Alright,” She jotted something down and underlined it before looking up. “Let’s start with how you’re feeling? Like with everything, the situation, Destiny”

“Honestly?” I shrugged lightly. “I’m fine with everything”

“Ok...” She paused for a moment before tapping her pen against the pad and looked up again. “How are you coping with being on board?”

“How am I coping?” I thought over the question for a moment before looking up with a grin. “Great! I’m fucking thriving off this experience, I love exploring all Destiny has to hold”

TJ laughed softly noting it down. “You must be the only one then; everyone else seems to hate it here”

I shrugged lightly. “Let them hate it with all there might, I _love_ it, I love being able to learn more ancient, I love being able to explore Destiny’s halls, I love being able to figure out just how everything works,” I relaxed back against the chair. “I mean seriously, we’re stuck here and we probably will be for a good while yet so we might as well suck it up and fucking learn to deal with it”

TJ chuckled and nodded. “Certainly a refreshing outlook compared to everyone else’s sombre moods,” She noted something down on her page. “So what do you do to relax? Like things in your spare time?”

I let my head fall back as I laughed. “ _‘Spare time’_ and _‘relax’_ aren’t words in my vocabulary,” I grinned lopsidedly. “But seriously, I’ve taken to sketching, reading, exploring...” I lowered my head slightly and smiled impishly. “And a few other things I’m sure you _really_ don’t need to hear about... but mostly I’ve been spending time with Nick, he’s a strange guy but strange is my kind of thing”

“You and Doctor Rush seem to get along quite well”

“No one understands him like I do, his brain’s just wired differently from everyone else’s,” I smiled sheepishly. “We’re building a bridge between us if you want to know, we have been for a while,” I swallowed roughly. “We have been since Sean died” My smile faltered for a second, it was still difficult to talk about him even after all this time.

“Sean, he was your husband wasn’t he?”

I nodded and smiled sadly. “Yeah, we were together for nearly twenty years,” I looked up to TJ. “He pushed me to take the position on Icarus and a month after I arrived he died in a crash”

“I’m sorry”

I shook my head lightly. “There’s no need to apologise; Nick was my rock, he helped me even if he didn’t mean too, he was there for me when I finally came back to Icarus,” I tried to resist the bitter laugh that slipped through my lips. “I remember that first night I came back to Icarus, he found me getting shitface drunk and well...” I shrugged lightly. “Yeah... everything kind of started from the point and whatever the hell it is now I’m happy with it”

“So it’s not a relationship?”

“Yeah... that’s the thing... I don’t think either of us know” I said slowly before shifting against the chair.

“Do you think that’s because you’re scared to have another relationship?”

“I’m not scared,” I snapped lightly. “Very little scares me and that’s not one of them”

“What about dying? Are you afraid you’ll die out here?”

“Not afraid of death, I’ve had my brushes with the reaper several times in my life time”

“What about Rush dying?”

I went to snap at her before pausing and clenched my jaw, something that she noted down. “Ok, so we’ve established I’m not awfully keen on watching Rush die and that I’m absolutely fine with everything going on around me... can I go now?”

TJ looked up and then down at her page before giving a light nod. “Sure,” She stood and placed a hand on my arm stopping me from leaving. “If you ever need someone to talk to I’m always here”

I nodded before giving her a small hug. “Likewise Tam”

She smiled at the nickname before nodding lightly and letting me leave.


End file.
